The Nigerian Bank Scam

Embezzlement and the Nigerian Bank Scam

I first read about the Nigerian Bank Scam in the book The
Informant by Kurt Eichenwald (Sept. 2000). The Informant is
about Mark Whitacre who was a Vice President at the food and food
products company Archer Daniels Midland (or ADM). Whitacre was, at
one point, the US Government's star witness against ADM in a price
fixing case. But as the Government got to know Whitacre better and
learned more about the case it started to unravel, although at least
one ADM executive went to jail.

Whitacre reported to his bosses that he and his family were being
threatened and that "bad things" would happen unless he made a payment
to those who were threatening him. The people who threatened Whitacre
would contact no one else but Whitacre. Not surprisingly ADM reported
these threats to the FBI, who, also not surprisingly, interviewed
Whitacre. The extortion story was implausable and as it started to
unravel, Whitacre told the FBI about price fixing at ADM in an attempt
to focus their attention on other matters (and save himself, he
thought, from closer scrutiny). As the price fixing case unfolded it
became clear that Whitacre was embezzling money from ADM. He
apparently started taking money from ADM when he lost money in a
Nigerian Bank Scam. Once Whitacre discovered how easy it was to take
money from ADM, he continued. The extortion report was a rather lame
attempt to get more money from ADM.

Like Mark Whitacre, former Iowa congressman Edward Mezvinsky also fell
for Nigerian scammers. According The Daily Iowan (Far from
his heyday, Mezvinsky admits guilt, by Maryclaire Dale, The Daily
Iowan, Sept. 30, 2002):

In the 1990s, Mezvinsky left the politics to his wife and turned to
international business deals. But he rarely made a dime, instead
losing millions to African con artists pitching pyramid-type schemes.

"Without any meaningful income, he was perpetually in debt throughout
the 1990s," the plea agreement states.

While he first sought ever-larger bank loans, that pipeline soon shut
down, and by 1995, he was turning to individual investors.

Mezvinsky, moving money at a frenetic pace, deposited $13.28 million
in his numerous accounts from 1995 to early 2000, most of it from
investors and clients, according to investigators, who reviewed more
than 8,000 transactions.

During the same period, he spent $13.3 million, with 44 percent of the
money going to creditors, 20 percent to Africans, and 17 percent for
cash withdrawals, they said.

Victims of Nigerian bank scams are not limited to corporate Vice
Presidents and ex-Congressmen. Michelle Delio's article How
a Bank Got E-mail Scammed (in Wired News, Sept. 24, 2002)
recounts the story of Ann Marie Poet, a 59-year-old secratery who
embezzled $2.1 million (US) from her employer, a law firm. Ms. Poet
fell for the "advance fee" scam and believed that these funds were
being used to pay fees and bribes. She believed that the money she
"borrowed" would be paid back from the $4.5 million she would receive
after $18 million was moved from the South African Ministry of Mining
into her bank account. Like Mark Whitacre, Ms. Poet will probably be
spending some time as a guest of the United States Federal Government.

I feel a bit sorrier for Ms. Poet than I do for Mr. Whitacre, who was
a very well compensated Vice President at ADM. As happens to all of
us, the years were marching on for Ms. Poet. She may have been
thinking of retirement and despaired at the though of how this could
ever happen on the salary the law firm paid her. Then she gets an
e-mail from a fellow who works for the South African Ministry of Mines
and it seems to be the answer to her problems.

A comparison between Ms. Poet's jail sentence and the fates of the
executives of Enron, Tyco, Worldcom and other companies involved in
the great corporate scams of the late 1990s and early twenty-first
century would be interesting. These executive pocketed far more money
and were far better paid that Ms. Poet.

A review of two books on Archer Daniels Midland, The Informant
and Rats in the Grain, can be found here

Given the "over the top" nature of some of the bank scam come-ons it
is easy to make fun of them and I've had a good time with this web
page. Not only are the stories told in the scam wild and occasionally
creative, but they are full of amusing errors in syntax, logic and
arithmatic. For example:

FOR YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS DEAL, YOU WILL RECEIVE 25% OF
THIS MONEY IN CASH, 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFFSET ALL EXPENSES WHILE
THE REMAINING 60% IS FOR ME.

Ah... 25% + 10% = 35%. Does that mean that they get 65% or is someone
else getting the missing 5%?

Although these scams can be amusing, for people who fall for them, it
can be a serious business. According to the David Emery's article The
Nigerian E-mail Hoax: West African Scammers Take to the Net,
March 14, 2002, published on the San Francisco Chronicle's SF Gate web site, at least 15 people
have been murdered as part of these scams. The US Treasury Department
estimates that these scams cost people in the United States about $100
million a year.

With the advent of the Internet, these "Nigerian Bank Scams" are
relatively cheap. The costs are basicly an internet connection and a
computer system to send out the spam. There are a few arrests here and
there. See for example Six
arrested over 'Nigerian e-mail' fraud by Graeme Wearden, ZDNet
News, May 21, 2002. This article points out that one reason this kind
of fraud is so safe for the scamsters is that many people do not
report that they have been defrauded. And if you do want to report
it, who do you call?

From the e-mail I've received, this web page seems to have helped
several people avoid these scams. Still, I am surprised that they
succeed at all. Especially after all the publicity. Michelle Delio
claims to have actually interviewed a Nigerian e-mail scammer. See Meet the
Nigerian E-Mail Grifters by Michelle Delio, Wired News, July 17, 2002

As with any financial endeavor, the bank scammers expect to make more
money than they spend on Internet accounts and spamming. At the point
where they drop into the red, they should, in theory disappear. The
continued existence of these scams is a testimony to the sad fact that
many people are poorly informed and tend to believe attractive lies
(in this case, that the bank scam will make them rich).

Nigeria Remains a Poor Country

One of the missive ironies in the Nigerian bank scam is the
implication that all of these tens of millions of dollars are rolling
around third world countries with massive unemployment and
malnutrition, looking for a path to get out. While various dictators
the world over have amassed vast fortunes, they don't have much
problem getting their money into foreign banks. As any corporate
sponsor of the Republican Party can tell you, it's very easy to set up
offshore bank accounts and move millions around without any problems
from the US Treasury Department (see press stories on Enron, Tyco and
other fine US companies who have moved their corporate "home" offshore).

Owning an Internet domain name like bearcave.com means that you get a
lot of spam. The spam got so bad that I finally wrote a spam filter for my UNIX
shell e-mail account. This catches most of the spam sent to my
account. I check the spam hearders before discarding the
junk_mail file to make sure that nothing I want ended up there.
Recently I've been getting my own copy of the Nigerian Bank Scam.
Compared to various offers for "home businesses" and penis
enlargement, these spams have provided a great deal of amusement.

This originally started out as a simple web page, with a few Nigerian
Bank Scams. I've been collecting these scams as they flutter in, like
some demented lepidopterist. The spams are reproduced below with some
HTML formatting. The web page has grown considerably. The use of
capital letters was in the original. It should be obvious to anyone
but someone who would fall for such transparent scams that I don't
endorse these fraudulent offers. Some of these scams not only offer
money, but a claim to a good cause. This web page has already stopped
at least one trusting soul from being taken advantage of. In other
cases the come-ons appeal to greed and a total lack of morals. Anyone
who falls for such a come-on deserves what they get. Anyone who wants
to help the family of a murderous deposed dictator invest stolen money
should not let this web page stop them.

Variations on the Nigerian Bank Scam

"Friction" in a market is sometimes defined as the effort needed to
bring buyers and sellers together. For example, the cost of
advertising is an example of this "friction". The Internet hold out
the promise of reducing some market friction by allowing sellers to
cheaply avertise their products world wide. The internet also reduces
the friction for scammers, looking for marks.

Nigerian Bank Scam, Version 3.0: The Shipping Fee Scam

I have been expecting that the Nigerian Bank will eventually die out
as more and more potential marks learn about it. Of course scams
never die, they just evolve into something else. One example of such
a new species of scam is the shipping
fee scam, described in the Wired News article Nigerian Net
Scam, Version 3.0 by Michelle Delio.

In this variation of the bank scam, the scammer poses as a buyer for
an item advertised on the Internet. The scammer tells the mark that
they will have someone overseas (outside of the scammers country) send
the seller a cashiers check for the purchase price, plus an additional
amount that the seller should wire the buyer for shipping. Such an
arrangement will strike most sellers as odd, but many sellers will
think that they are protected by waiting for the cashiers check to
clear. The check clears and the seller forwards the shipping fee, as
promised. They have now become a victim of the scammer. In
Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 Michelle Delio writes:

The scam takes advantage of a little-known loophole in the
U.S. banking system. Many people don't realize that when a bank says
funds have cleared, it doesn't mean the check is good, according to
Carol McKay, director of communications for the National Consumers
League.

"Under federal law, depending on the type of checks deposited, banks
must give consumers access to the money within one to five
days. Longer holds can be placed on deposits over $5,000, but banks
are reluctant to inconvenience their customers," McKay explained.

"Unfortunately, it can take weeks for fake checks to be detected in
the banking system. And consumers are then left holding the bag for
the money they've withdrawn. That's because it's the depositor, not
the bank, who is responsible if a check turns out to be bad."

The seller has virtually no recourse, since the "shipping fee" has
been forwarded to a foreign bank and the funds have disappeared.

The final quote in Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.0 pretty much
sums up the issue:

"But the bottom line is this: No legitimate company will offer to pay
you by arranging to send you a check and asking you to wire some of
the money back. If that's the pitch, it's a scam."

Just because the check cleared does not mean that it was not fraudulent.

In his article The
Perfect Mark, published in The New Yorker (May 15, 2006),
Mitchell Zuckoff tells the story of John W. Worley who lost tens of
thousands of dollars to Nigerian scammers and, as I write this, is
serving two years in federal prison.

The Nigerian scammers passed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of
forged checks through Worley's bank account. When these checks
cleared, he forwarded the money to a Swiss bank account. Worley
believed that this money was from investors who had contributed the
money necessary to transfer the millions of dollars the scammers
promised to Worley's US bank account. When it turned out that these
checks were forgeries, Worley was left with both the financial and the
criminal liability.

Nigerian Net Scam, Version 3.1: Perform hawala services for
people you've never met

These scams keep evolving. I got email from someone who almost fell
victim of a variation on the cashiers check scam. Here is the scam
"come on":

Dear friend,

I represent OANDO IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANY PLC based in Australia. My
company markets and exports Polymeric Polyol and other products for
world trade.

We are searching for representatives who can help us establish a medium of
getting to our customers in Europe and America as well as making payments
through you as our payment officer. It is upon this note that we seek your
assistance to stand as our representative in your country. Note that, as our
representative, you will receive 10% of whatever amount you clear for the company and
the balance will be paid into an account we will avail to you. Please, to
facilitate the conclusion of this transaction if accepted, do send me promptly by
email the following:

Your full names,

Contact address and,

Phone/fax numbers.

Thank you for your time.

Very Respectfully,
Mr. Steve Howard
MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO
OANDO PLC

Oando PLC is, in fact, a real company in Nigeria. They describe
themselves as "second largest oil marketing company by revenues in
Nigeria". As an established corporate entity, they would have
relationships with international banks that can handle foreign
currency transfer. Or, they could handle the transaction through
their trading counterparts. They would not have to contact some
random stranger to transfer money.

The person who emailed me provided their contact information. After
all, it seems harmless. Not like providing bank account information.
My correspondent writes:

In subsequent e-mail I was advised, that a check in the amount of $25,000.00
was in the mail to me from a company in Canada, and I was to deposit it into
my bank, wait until the check had "cleared" and then send 90% of it on to
Australia and enjoy the remaining 10% for myself.

Fortunately, this person's inner sense that something was wrong went
off:

I could not figure out the scam, until I searched the web and found
that little known US banking law, that a Bank must make my funds
available to me in a few days, whether the check has actually cleared
or not. That is when I stopped. Notice that we are not tossing
around millions of Dollars! But when successful, the scammer in
Australia will make over $22,000.00 per scam.

In many cases the people who are most tempted by these scams have
strained finances. The story in the scam may seem like a life saver
if you're not sleeping well at night because of the bills that are
piling up. Ironically, people who are financially strained are
exactly the people who can't afford to lose money in these scams.

I've been seeing more and more of these money transfer scams.
Discounting their poor english, they scammers have a certain surface
plausibility.

The financial-consulting company "Vision International People Group"
is glad to greet you. We are a new financial company with the main
office in Germany. Our company needs safe representatives of the
payments.

In this letter you can read additional information about work in USA
with Vision International People Group. Sales representatives
(managers, financial assistants) for realization of financial and
trading operations with our partners are required. Duties of sales
representatives in USA include the reception of money resources from
buyers and their sending to Germany. The full control of realization
of financial operations and assistance in their realization. Daily
hundred monetary operations from $400-$25000 passes through our
company. You will have to receive the money resources from our buyers
and send it on system Western Union to Germany within one day. The
faster you work, the more money resources to you will receive and the
more earnings you will get.

Please, do not send your resume, if you suppose you will be unable to carry out each operation within one day.
Speed is one of the most important things for our company, however, we
offer not 10% as usually but 20% from each carried out
operation. Western Union fees are also paid by us. Working with our
company is the most profitable work we offer in USA, you can receive
as many money transactions as you will be able to carry out and earn
20% from the each transaction. Requirements. In order to start working
with us, you need to follow the instructions below.

Send us your resume with these information:

Your personal information (First Name, Last Name)

Your home address

Phone number where you can be reached

The most important is your vigor, skill to communicate and desire to
work in one of conducting financial companies. During work you will
receive consultations from our managers (by E-mail, ICQ, Yahoo
Messenger and phone).

At an initial stage at you will be a partial employment (not a full working day).
As you will be typed experience volume of work and your salary will be increased.
At first time you will receive to you up to $3000 per transaction.
Your earnings depends on you only - the faster you will send the money to us,
the more transactions you will receive.

Payment. From each carried out operation you will receive 20%. And
you will leave to yourselves this sum. And you will be obliged to send
other sum on system Western Union to Germany. We compensate for all
your expenses. As we guarantee to you such amount of works that your
payment from the very beginning will be not less 2000 USD per one
month and it will grow in process of your promotion in our company.
During 2006-2007 we plan opening a network of offices and
representations for territories USA.

Best their sales representatives will be invited to work in these
offices on higher posts. Vision International People Group Offers you
to begin the career in the large international and known company.

If you want to believe in such a scam because you're finances are
in desparate shape, consider this: if the money mentioned in the scam
where real (which it is not), it would be illegal in the United States
and most other countries to perform the transfer that the scammer
requests.

On November 7, 2001, agents from the Customs, Immigration, the IRS and
the FBI burst into the Dorchester, Massachusetts, offices of
al-Barakaat, a Somali conglomerate with branches in forty countries,
and arrested Mohamed M. Hussein, treasurer of Barakaat North America,
on charges of operating an unlicensed money transfer business, or, as
it was known a hawala. Al-Barakatt stood accused of raising,
investing, laundering, and distributing money on behalf of al-Qaeda.
Then-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill announced that its various
companies were "the money movers, the quartermasters of terror."
Meanwhile federal authorities were also conducting raids on suspected
businesses in eight other American cities.
[...]

In July 2002, a federal judge in Massachusetts sentenced Mohamed
Hussein, who had been apprehended in the offices of al-Barakaat, to
eighteen months in prison.

Quartermasters of Terror by Patrick Radden Keefe, The New
York Review of Books, February 10, 2005. A review of the book
Blood from Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror by
Douglas Farah, Broadway Books, 2004

Again, even in the wildly unlikely event that the money was real such a
transaction could land you in real trouble. You have no idea who the
people are in this transaction. They could be terrorists or illegal
drug dealers. Performing such a a transfer could land you in federal
prison. Regardless of whether you think that this "proposal" is real or
not, it is a bad idea. Don't do it!

Here's yet another variation on the above scam. You should never act
as a middleman in shipping packages. The claim about avoiding VAT
taxes is suspicious. They are either after your money, or they are
shipping something illegal, using you as an intermediate. Imagine
trying to explain to the authorities that you really didn't know that
the packages contained illegal drugs. Don't fall for this scam. No
reputable business uses SPAM to advertise or to get "business
partners".

My name is Mark Birman I'm job manager in RuAmerica corporation.
We're searching for new partnerships in continental USA.

Let me say few words about our company. We're working for several
years worldwide, providing the best service in Shipping and
Transporting. We work with European countries for 4 years. Our
partners are USPS, FedEx, DHL, Ebay, Amazon and many other shipping
companies and shops. We're providing financial services too.

Let me say about the position we offer.
It is called Correspondence Assistant/Representative. It is new
position for us, and it is very valuable now. In August 2003, many
European countries changes their rules for customs and taxes for
merchandise, sent from countries, that don't belong to EU. This
means, that package that is sent from a company - will be a subject
for VAT in Europe, but the package that is sent from a person -
doesn't have VAT. Because of that, prices for shipping services
grow, and we try to reduce them. And we need YOU.

Your task - to receive packages that will be delivered to you, and
redirect them, following our instructions.
Packages will be delivered by courriers to your location.
Then you will be given money for shipping fees.
Your fee is 25 USD per package you receive.
No start up fees! No out of pocket fees! Nothing to pay!

IMPORTANT. We put names of our customers on the packages, so names will be different from yours.

We will inform you about incoming packages. We pay you via PayPal,
wire transfer, Check, Money Order or Western Union. Your
commissions will be paid every two weeks.
We will make agreement which you will sign and return back to us.
In this document all responsibilities and duties will be conrirmed.
If you are interested in this offer, or have more questions
please fill application form refer to http://hiramjr.com/vacancies.asp.htm

Thank you for your time.

Best regards, Mark Birman
Tel/Fax : (910) 401-1021

Bitter experience with the "shipping transfer" scam

I am happy to write that this web page has saved a few people from the
thieves who run these scams and caused other who intially fell victim
to think about what is happening. I got the following email (I've
withheld the names and done some minor editing):

My name is XXXX and I have received one of these scams. I have
actually fallen for it, and would have fallen for it completely,
if it wasn't for a good friend who told me to research this because
she remember hearing about this scam. Otherwise I would have not have found
your website.

My story goes that Pedro Baretto needed help to get his family to
America, and that the money was going to be sent to me to help
establish accounts and investments. I have gone as far as signing the
benificary paper. Also the funds were to be sent to me and I was to
receive them through E PICXPRESS PARCEL SERVICES on Friday October 14
(2005). I even have a tracking number that was sent to me with the
documents of shipment. Tracking # TRE4031EXS. Please help me I do not
know how to get out of this if this really is a scam. I have a family
and do not want anything to happen to me.

The person above forwarded me "Pedro's" email, which I've left
uncorrected so that you can appreciate once again the english stylings
of scammers:

Hallo,

They have finally doit the shipment of the boxes yesterday; the boxes
have dispatch and will be deliver via London transit point to you in
US. For security of reasons, the content of the boxes is declare as
classified documents and insurance bonds instead of cash; hence do not
disclose the actual contents of the boxes to the carrier company. I
have attach the waybill of shipment to this email, so please print it
out and go through it very carefully because it have all the important
detail about shipment include the tracking number.

According to information from the transport company, the boxes will
deliver to you in 3 working days which mean by friday, you should have
receive the boxes. You must report to me as soon as your receive the
boxes so that I can join you immediately and we can make to doit
lodgement of monies into the banking system and doit neccessary
investments. I have the secure combination codes to the boxes and I
will give you later for security reasons.

I hope to meet you soon. God bless.

Pedro

I've included my response below. Just as many people have a hard time
believing that the President of the United States repeatedly lied to
them once they placed their confidence in him, many people have a hard
time believing that they really have been taken in my scammers. I
hope that my advice bore fruit in this case.

Dear XXXX:

This is definitely a scam. If you have signed any documents that
affect your bank accounts or commit you to financial transactions
you must cancel them immediately. Talk to your bank and anyone else
in the United States. You are not alone in falling for these
scams. They would not exist if people did not fall for them, after
all.

If anyone threatens you or your family you must go to the police,
the FBI and the Treasure Department (which has a branch than handles
these Nigerian Bank scams).

Many people who get involved in these scams do not want to believe
that it is a scam. The crooks count on this. The first step in
helping yourself must be to come to the realization that these
people are thieves.

Banks in the United States and Europe are international. They not
only have branches abroad, but it is very easy to transfer money
internationally. I was in Barcelona Spain in April and I had no
problem accessing my bank account in the United States. If I had a
Spanish bank account I could have easily transferred money to the
United States. There is no reason that anyone not involved in
criminal activity would need your help in opening an account and
transferring money.

Although the only money transfered will be yours, to these crooks,
if they really were going to transfer money it could get you into
trouble with the US authorities.

The US has strict international money transfer laws, that became
stricter after 9/11. It is illegal to transfer and deposit large
amounts of money without declaring the source of these funds. If
someone was transferring money into the US in a crate, it would be of
great interest to the US authorities. If you were to deposit large
sums of money, you would probably come to the notice of the banking
authorities. You could be charged with a felony for doing this (after
all, this is what drug runners do, move large amounts of money
around).

But none of this is going to happen. There is no money, these
people are liars. Yes, they have various way bills to make things
look correct, but they are just stringing you along. They want to
get access to your money. You must stop now before you lose
thousands of dollars, as others have.

What is ironic is that these crooks tend to prey on the people who
can least afford to lose the money. If your bills are piling up and
you are struggling it is tempting to believe that some great good
fortune has come along and offered you the way out. But when these
people steal your money it will be that much worse.

There is only one correct choice, and I hope you make it. Stop now
and do what you can to reverse any damage that these people have
done to you. Yours,

Ian Kaplan

An Insurance Scam version of the Nigerian Bank Scam

In this version of the Nigerian Bank Scam, rather than basing the scam
on unclaimed millions or money that is being smuggled out of the
country, this version of the scam is based on an unclaimed insurance
policy payment. Someone has died in a tragic accident and there is no
next of kin. The scammer claims that an insurance payment can be
collected with the recipient's help. An example is provided below.
One would think that any self-respecting scammer would not use a
Nigerian address. To make the scam e-mail spam generic, the scammer
does not actually address the recipient by name, as would be the case
if this were actually an attempt at "honest" insurance fraud. Like
many of the Nigerian Bank Scams below, this scam invites the "mark" to
commit fraud (in this case by supposedly posing as the heir of the
insurance policy holder).

My name is Mr.Arthur A. Adams,Agency Manager, Goldbond Insurance
Company PLC. I am writing in respect of a foreign client(policy
holder) of my insurance company [Mrs. Barbara Freeman and Jarold
Freeman of America] who alongside perished in the plane crash of 31st
of october1999 with (Egyptian Airline 990) with other passengers
aboard as you can confirm it yourself through this website:
http://www.cnn/us/9911/02/egyptair990 (a bad web link, but apparently
there really was an EgyptAir 990 crash).

Since the demise of Mrs. Barbara Freeman, I personally have watched
with keen interest to see her beneficiary, but all has proved abortive
as no one has come to claim her benefit of (cash accumulation plan
policy) of total sum amounting to us $9,860,000.00 (nine million
eighthundred and sixty us dollars) only when added up the following
bonus,basic allowance, waiver premium and accidental indemnity, which
has been with our insurance company here for a very long time
unclaimed.on this note. As no one has come to put up any claim as the
beneficiary and the insurance ethic here in nigeria does not allow
such claim to stay for over more than six years,because the company
shall have power after six good years to discontinue the insurance and
terminate the insured policy owners benefits.

In view of this I got your contact through my country's foreign trade
mission, after i was convinced in my mind that your name could be used
as the beneficiary to this policy holder claim.the request of a
foreigner as the beneficiary to the insurance policy holder caim
isoccasioned by the fact that the(client)policy holder was a foreigner
and a nigerian cannot stand as the beneficiary to a foreigner in this
claim.

I therefore propose that 25% of this above fund will be for you as a
foreign participant in respect of your involvement, compliance and
full co-operation towards the successful claim, while 5% will be for any
expenses that might be incurred in the process of procuring
satisfactory proof documents for back-up to enable the insurance
company pay the lump sums and allowance benefits as set out under the
cash accumulation plan policy (cap)scale of compensation and the rest
fund will be for me.

Thereafter, I will visit your country for disbursement of fund as I am
almost due for retirement. Upon the receipt of your reply, I will then
send to you by fax or e-mail a draft application of beneficiary claim
which you will in return forward to the insurance company head office
as the beneficiary and also the next step to take. I will not fail to
bring to your good notice that this deal is 100% hitch free, as the
whole required arrangements has been carefully perfected for the
beneficiary claim.

Please reply to email: arthur.adams@hotmail.ro

My highest considerations and regards as I await your reponse.

thank you.

Mr. Arthur A. Adams

You've been named as a beneficiary and now stand to receive lots of
money (NOT)

This is a slight variation on the above scam. You're not being asked
to stand in as the beneficiary. Instead, the scammer would have you
believe that you've been named as beneficiary by someone you've never
met or even heard of (note the incorrect english in the scam come-on).
Yes, indeed! Buckets of money falling from the sky. I particularly
liked the 95 cents in the amount that the mark is supposed to receive.
Of course, as with all of these scams, a few fees have to be paid
first before you become "rich".

It is with great delight that I write you. On January 31st in the
year 2000, tragedy struck and if you can recollect fully, the tragic
incident was the fatal air mishap of Alaska airlines flight 261 from
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico enroute sanfrancisco and Seattle.
Eighty-eight people were onboard that flight, eighty-three passengers
and five crew members, none of them made it alive. You can look it
up at Alaska airlines archives with google.com.

Onboard that ill fated flight was a worthy and highly respected
customer with LACIAXA BANK Spain in the name of Morris Thompson. He
was onboard that flight in the company of his wife Thelma and his only
child Sheryl Thompson. They had been in Mexico for vacation as at that
time.

Let me add here that I had the rare privilege of meeting late
Morris Thompson on two occasions and I can attest to the fact that
he was a very fine gentleman, very simple, very humane and admired
by all. He was one of the state of Alaska most wealthy businessmen
and prominent native. Late Thompson had in a domiciliary account
with LACIAXA BANK Spain a certain amount totalling eight million,
nine hundred and seventy-five thousand, ninety-five cents
($8,975,000.95)

It would interest you to know that late Thompson had
appended the name of Sheryl and yours as his next of kin and for
whatever reasons late Thompson may have had to include your name as
next of kin no one can question. Consequently, Sheryl Thompson demise
now leaves you as the sole beneficiary and next of kin to the said
funds in the account of Late Thompson. Frantic efforts has been made
since then to locate you and the delay was actually to ascertain the
authenticity of your name as the true next of kin to Morris Thompson
and you must forgive us for contacting you this late.

Once again, accept my deepest apologies for the delay in reaching you.
On receipt of your acknowledgement of this mail, you can reach me at
your earliest convenience or at my alternative email,
georgehycent@ozu.es I anticipate your quick response. Best regards,

George hycent

Real Estate: For Sale by Owner

I got a note from a gentleman in one of the Southern states who had
listed his home for "sale by owner" on Yahoo. He got a note from a
Nigerian buyer who claimed that he wanted to buy the house. Of course
the money was tied up, but, with the help of the US seller, could be
transferred to a US account. The Nigerian's english was not very
good, so I did not fully understand his proposal, but he apperently
wanted the US seller to sign a note that would be balanced by $2
million that would be transferred to the US. Then the accounts would
be settled and the house purchased.

Complex cash transfers for any transaction are a red flag. The money
involved is either non-existent (as is the case with these Nigerian
scams), is from illegal sources, or the buyer is unreliable. In all
these cases, you are better off staying away from such a transaction.

Foreign nationals usually have to purchase US property for cash,
unless they have existing assets in the United States which can be
used for collateral for a loan. Anyone who has real cash or assets
for such a purchase will not need to engage in some complex
transaction to do so. As I have stated repeatedly above, there is a
whole international infrastructure available for financial transfers,
both legal and illegal. Anyone who has real cash does not need the
help of someone not involved in this business.

Pay us money or we'll kill you!

According to an article
in the British Internet publication The Register, there is a
new Nigerian scam that claims to be from a group of assassins for hire
(with offices in 102 countries around the world). The SPAM email
informs the recipient that they have been targeted for termination by
someone they offended "a long time ago". Only by immediately paying
$40,000 will the recipient avoid being killed by local minions of the
multinational Assassins Inc.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to save myself from
immediate death by paying your company $40,000. I not only wish to
save my life for myself, but also for my wife and children, who depend
on me for support.

I will immediately pay you the money you demand as soon as I can
retrieve my assets from a security company in the Netherlands.

For many years I worked with my brother as a mining engineer and
businessman in Sierra Leone, where I had a diamond mining company.
During the recent troubles my brother was killed and I was forced to
flee Sierra Leone. Fortunately, before I left I managed to
transfer $20,000,000 (twenty million dollars, US) in diamonds to a
security company outside of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

I was forced to flee Sierra Leone with little more than the cloths on
my back and do not have the funds to pay the shipping and storage fee
for the trunk containing the diamonds. If International Assassins
Inc. will send me $3,800 for the shipping and storage fees, I will not
only pay the $40,000, but %20 of the value of the diamonds (that's
four million dollars, US).

Please do not kill me before we have had an opportunity to work out
all of the modalities for this transaction.

Bank Scams are Frequently Inspired by Current Events

I'm still waiting for a Bank Scam based on the massive Enron corporate
fraud. The Bank Scammers probably don't read the business press, so
my satire (near the end of the web page) may be the only version in
existence. Included below is a Bank Scam based on the US invasion and
occupation of Iraq. As it turns out, the US military did, in fact,
find millions of US dollars in shipping crates and false rooms.
Billions of dollars in both Iraqi and US money have also gone missing.
But the best path to these ill gotten gains is to be a Bush
administration crony. The email below is included because it is a
scam. This scam is constructed with some care. If the amount of
money mentioned had been too big, a large shipping container would
have been needed. $7 million would probably fit in a box the size of
a luggage trunk. The scam is meant to appeal to both greed and
sympathy for members of the US military who are serving in Iraq.
Here's this guy whose risking his life, doing his duty to his
country. Help him get his ill gotten gains out of Iraq.

This is a transparent scam. Not only is the story outlandish, but the
english reads like it was written by someone who is not a native
speaker. But just imagine for a moment if this scam was actually
true. What would happen if you went to a bank and tried to deposit a
suitcase full of $100 bills? The US Treasury Dept., the FBI and
perhaps the DEA would be by to see you as soon as the bank made the
phone calls they're required to make.

I am an American soldier, I am serving in the military of the 1st
Armored Division in Iraq, as you know we are being attacked by
insurgents everyday and car bombs.

We managed to move funds belonging to Saddam Hussein's family. The
total amount is US$7.2 million dollars in cash, mostly 100 dollar
bills. We want to move this money to you, so that you may invest it
for us and keep our share for banking. We will take 60%, my partner
and I. You take the other 40%. No strings attached, just help us move
it out of Iraq, Iraq is a war zone. We plan on using diplomatic
courier and shipping the money out in one large silver box, using
diplomatic immunity. If you are interested I will send you the full
details, my job is to find a good partner that we can trust and that
will assist us. Can I trust you? When you receive this letter, kindly
send me an e-mail signifying your interest including your most
confidential telephone/fax numbers for quick communication also your
contact details. This business is risk free. The box can be shipped
out in 48hrs.

The Biggest Scammers are not from Nigeria

Despite the publicity that the Banks Scams have attracted these scams
keep coming, apparently with increasing frequency. Over time this web
page has grown much larger than I originally planned. The scams tend
to pretty much echo the same themes. Unless I get some really
creative scams, I am not adding to this web page. So please don't
mail me examples of the same kind of scams published here.

A number of the African governments (if you can call them that), have
been referred to as kleptocracies. The primary accomplishments of
these governments has been to move billions of dollars that belong to
their people to secret overseas accounts. The news accounts of
African kleptocracy seems to lead the credulous to believe that there
are millions of dollars sloshing around Africa just waiting to find an
exit.

Although African governments have become infamous for kleptocracy, it
is worth remembering there are cases where a few loot the many in the
United States. Executives and venture capital investors in "dot-com"
companies have cashed out billions of dollars in stock options. These
companies, which were once valued at hundreds of millions or billions
and are now worthless, or close to it. Large corporate conglomerates
like Tyco and energy companies like Enron have been similarly looted
by their executives. This money came from the shareholders, who are
largely mutual funds and pension funds. The vast majority of the
money in these funds consists of the retirement savings of millions of
people in the United States (the rich invest in hedge funds, not
mutual funds). Although corporate looting has not destroyed the
economy of the United States to the same extent that that it has some
African countries, the behavior of the corporate ruling class in the
United States could be characterized as a corporate kleptocracy. But
never fear, as executive salaries continue to rise we are assured that
this is simply the behavior of a few "bad apples".

Although the electorate in the United States seems to ignore the issue
of corporate executive crime, I wonder if the wide spread accounts of
the millions in misappropriated funds from companies like Worldcom,
Tyco or Enron will lead to a new version of the bank scam. All those
corporate executives with their millions need to move their ill gotten
gains so that the government and lawyers can't get their nasty
Democratic hands on it. Those poor beleaguered rich white men need
YOUR help. Just send your bank account information for a fat
commission! In the spirit of satire, I've even included an Enron bank
scam at the end of this web page.

References Available on the Web

I've provided links to articles from Internet publications in the
discussion about. Some additional references are listed below:

This article relates a twist that I had not seen before: the
persecuted Iraqi Christian. Help them, Pat Robertson, Help them!

I am brameem anu [sic], i the son of a victim of oppression in
iraq. my father was a successful businessman in bagdad-iraq, and not
too long the iraqi presidential guards came into our house at about
one a.m. midnight, picked up my father away, only to find him few days
later, dead in front of the house. At present we are not also safe
because they believe my father has been financing the opposition group
in surport of the Americans, but it's just a way of cleaning out the
few christian minority in Iraq and this is the best time to do so. we
are christian and my father happens to be one of the few rich
christian in iraq.

This WiredNews article relates how an employee of the Nigerian embassy
was shot and killed by a 72-year-old Czech man who apparently had been
a victim of the Nigerian Bank Scam. Apparently he was victimized a
year ago and had been trying to get his money back. So apparently
there still are people who fall for the scam.

Web of deceit:
Who's sending you all those scam Nigerian e-mails? By Brendan
I. Koerner, SLATE.COM, Oct. 22, 2002. This article seems to have
disappeared from the Web.

This article in Slate claims that the Nigerian scams represent the
fifth largest industry in Nigeria, accounting for an estimated $100
million, US. The author also claims that the cash flow from the scams
have been responsible for improvements in the Nigerian
telecommunications and Internet infrastructure.

This is a tragic story of a Florida retiree who was taken for over
$300,000 in a Nigerian bank scam. The article outlines the evolution
of the scam as the scammers ask for more and more money.

What is interesting is that the scammers frequently reference religion
("God has brought us together"). However, as an old grifter from the
1930s noted, a honest man is never scammed. Those who fall for the
scam are dreaming of imaginary riches that they would have no right to
if they were real. This is not to say that those who suffer from
human frailty deserve to be financially ruined. But the fact that
their moral beliefs are only skin deep when it comes to the dream of
wealth means that they are vulnerable. Perhaps if you believe in
religious fictions, it is easy to believe in a Nigerian scam.

One of the oddest claims in this article is attributed to the US
Secret Service: [the Nigerian scams] "represent a serious financial
threat" to the United States. This seems unlikely unless my fellow
citizens who believe that the missing Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction
actually exist start sending money to Nigeria. Perhas the Secret
Service is worried that if you fall for one scan, you'll fall for
another.

This is a copy of the Orlando Sentinel article. Bearcave.com is a
non-commercial site and I felt that keeping this article on-line was
more important that a strict adherence to copyright. Once in a blue
moon I get email from people who are tempted to fall for one of these
scams. It is difficult to talk them out of their false dreams.
Perhaps this article will help.

A number of bank scammers claim that they have large "trunks" or other
shipping containers that contain millions in cash. For what ever
reason, these containers, with the imaginary cash, is supposedly in
storage with a company the Neatherland.

This brief article recounts a raid by the Neatherland authorities to
crack down on this scam, at least in the Neatherlands.

This article in The Register provides an account of a
particularly sophisticated version of the Nigerian Bank Scam.

The scammers sent out a spam that claimed to be from an investment firm
asking if the recipient was related to "a client who shares your
surname" (note that this allows the spam to be generic) whose last
contact address was in Belgium and had was born in 1932.

When the "mark" responded, one of the scammers, "Clive Bannister",
sent the mark a long email explaining that his firm had been trying to
find someone with the same name last name who had recently died and
left a large amount of money unclaimed. No next of kin was listed
with the bank and they had been unable to find any relatives. The
"mark" who received the email was their last chance. Now that
Mr. Bannister knows that there is no one to claim the money, he
invites the "mark" to conspire with him to obtain the funds.
Eventually this entails setting up a bank account (with a fictitious
bank, via a Western Union deposit). Of course there is a
minimum deposit requirement. In the end the "mark" lost $1,000 US.

This article tells the story of John W. Worley, a Christian
psychotherapist who fell victim to Nigerian scammers and ended up
serving time in federal prison. Like many of the Nigerian scams, the
one that Worley fell for was both immoral and illegal. Immoral in
that the money that would supposedly be transfered into his account
was stolen from the people of an African country. The scam was
illegal because he planned to take part in a covert transfer of money
that would not be properly reported to the US Government. Like so
many of the "Christians" who have supported George W. Bush and who
have been the backbone of the Christian right, Worley publicly
proclaimed his faith while acting in an immoral fashion.

A native Nigerian writer takes stock of the changing face of her
country.s most prominent economic export after oil: e-mail scams.

This article mentions an Internet/Email scam that I have not heard of
before, the on-line Romance scam:

The chat room and romance variation is the most interesting. It is
usually combined with one of the other forms of 419. You meet someone
in a chat room and fall head over heels in love. (Do such things
really happen?) The object of your affection secures your confidence
one way or the other. S/he then begins to play on your emotions,
making what look like harmless requests at first (small change,
camera, mobile phone etc.). But as the plot thickens, you begin to
part with more valuable things.

An offer of marriage is made to further suck you in. Undying love is
declared on both sides. You need to send engagement rings and money
for a traditional betrothal ceremony at this point. You also need to
send gifts to an extended family of in-laws. The .love of your
life. is a poor, cash-strapped African, and you need to give financial
muscle to the relationship. You need to pay the bride price. You may
even be asked to pay for a virginity test, or, if the distant loved
one is male, for a manhood test. There will also be a wine-carrying
ceremony. There will be sacrifices to appease the ancestors for the
sacrilege of a .prince/princess. marrying a stranger. Before you know
it, you have invested heavily in what should have been a simple matter
of the heart.

In answer to the author's question ("Do such things really happen?"),
the answer is yes. I met my wife of (as I write this) thirteen years
via an email list (this was before the Web). I have known several
other couples who have met on-line as well. Fortunately most people
are not scammers, but you still have to be cautious as this article
notes.

Scam Satire Sites

These are web sites whose authors lead the scammers on and post the
results on their web sites. This was covered in Web Enthusiasts
Take Up Scan Baiting by Lynn Cowan, Dow Jones Newswires, published
in The Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2003, Pg. B4C

419 Eater. This site has some
sophmorically funny exchanges with the spammers. These scammers are
not native english speakers and don't have an understanding of english
slang and other trivia (e.g., in one letter the author includes
"cornish pasties" in his bank's street address).
The person who runs
the site, "Shiver Metimbers", gets the spammers to pose with signs.
In one exchange, titled "I Like to Worry Sheep", the author gets the
scammer to hold a sign that says "I Shag Sheep".

This article discusses some of the web sites run by people who lead
the Nigerian scammers on (some of these are listed above). There is a
definite comic element. One of these sites specializes in getting the
scammer to pose for a photograph, holding a sign with the fictional
correspondent's name. Examples of names are Ben Dover, Iama Dildo and
other sophmoric puns.

Some Sample Scams

I do appreciate getting email about innovative new versions of these
scams. But please don't send me a sample scams if it is just a
variation of one of the scams listed on this web page, with
new names or a different story about how some wealthy person died.

As Douglas Cruickshank notes in his Salon article there is a certain
creativity in the Nigerian Bank Scam letters. For example, the Dr. Evil Trust Fund for Arms and
Ammunition to further war in Africa and the rest of the world. Of
course there are a few errors in both english, english usage
and numerical accuracy (hey, only a stickler would be picky about
three orders of magnitude).

FIRST I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION, THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF IT'S BEING VERY
CONFIDENTIAL.

I AM DR.GEORGE ALI, A DIRECTOR WITH THE UNION BANK OF
NIGERIA (U.B.N) PLC LAGOS. I CAME TO KNOW OF YOU IN MY
PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO
HANDLE THIS CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION WHICH INVOLVES
THE TRANSFER OF A HUGE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN BANK
ACCOUNT REQUIRING MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.

THE PROPOSITION

AN AMERICAN, LATE ENGINEER KELVIN MICHAEL'S, AN OIL
MERCHANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF
NIGERIA, UNTIL HIS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO IN A GHASTLY
MOTOR ACCIDENT, BANKED WITH US HERE AT UNION BANK OF
NIGERIA PLC, LAGOS, AND HAD A CLOSING BALANCE OF
US$33,725,000,000:00 MILLION (THIRTY THREE MILLION,
SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS) WHICH THE BANK NOW QUESTIONABLE EXPECT TO BE
CLAIMED BY KELVIN'S NEXT OF KIN OR ALTERNATIVELY, BE
DONATED TO A DISCREDITED TRUST FUND FOR ARMS AND
AMMUNINATIONS AT A MILITARY WAR COLLEGE HERE IN
NIGERIA. FERVENT EFFORTS BEING MADE BY THE UNION BANK
OF NIGERIA PLC, TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE
MICHAEL'S FAMILY HAS PROVED ABORTIVE. THIS IS BECAUSE
OF THE PERCEIVED POSSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO
LOCATE LATE. ENGINEER MICHAEL'S NEXT OF KIN (HE HAS NO
WIFE OR CHILDREN) THAT THE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF OUR CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, RETIRED MAJOR-GENERAL KALU IKE KALU, THAT
AN ARRANGEMENT BE MADE FOR THE FUNDS TO BE DECLARED
UNCLAIMED AND SUBSEQUENTLY, BE DONATED TO THE TRUST
FUND FOR ARMS AND AMMUNATION TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE
CAUSE OF WAR IN AFRICA AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL.

IN OTHER TO AVERT THIS NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT, SOME OF
MY TRUST COLLEAGUES AND I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO
HAVE YOU STANDING AS NEXT OF KIN TO LATE. ENGINEER
MICHAEL'S, SO THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED AND
PAYED TO YOUR ACCOUNT AS NEXT OF KIN. ALL DOCUMENTS
AND PROOFS TO ENABLE YOU GET THE FUNDS WILL BE
CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO RE-ASSURING YOU OF A
100% RISK FREE INVOLVEMENT. YOU WILL GET A NEGOTIABLE
PERCENTAGE OF THIS MONEY FOR ASSISTING US IN THIS
DEAL. WE SHALL ALSO MAP OUT A PERCENTAGE OF THIS MONEY
TO TAKE CARE OF INCCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE IN
THE COURSE OF THE TRANSACTION. IF THIS PROPOSAL OKAY
BY YOU, AND ASSURE US THAT YOU WILL NOT TAKE UNDUE
ADVANTAGE OF THE TRUST WE HOPE TO BESTOWE ON YOU AND
YOUR COMPANY, KINDLY GET TO ME IMMEDIATELY VIA,
E-MAIL

FURNISH ME WITH YOUR CONFIDENTIAL PHONE,FAX NUMBERS,
EMAIL ADDRESS, AND EXCLUSIVE BANKING COORDINATES SO
THAT I CAN USE THESE INFORMATION TO APPLY FOR THE
RELEASE AND SUBSEQUENT TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS IN YOUR
FAVOUR.

IF NOT INTERESTED PLEASE KEEP IT VERY CONFIDENTIAL.

THANK YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR CO-OPERATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,
DR. GEORGE ALI

As before, the Nigerian Scam e-mail below is reproduced as I received
it. I did add paragraphs, since the formatting was a mess.

Computers, a phone line and access to the Internet must be very
expensive in Nigeria. On top of this bribes must be paid to protect
the scam artists. So given the costs, we can only assume that the
Nigerian Scam is profitable and that there are suckers who continue
to fall for this.

This note is a bit better than the first in it's story line. The
author's father is a rich humanitarian, who died as a result of his
efforts on behalf of the Congolese people. Finally, the e-mail ends
by stating that they want to give the recipient $2.8 million dollars
(e.g., 10% of $28 million). The e-mail author is from a humanitarian
family, so perhaps they want to support computer science research at
Bear Products International. Or perhaps they wish to invest in Bear
Products International (all worthy objectives). All this is odd,
however, because usually the Nigerian Scam letters offer this money
for help moving the funds out of the country. At most it is implied
here.

But there are obvious problems with the story. Anyone who came from a
family of the wealth the author claims would have been educated in
either Europe or the United States. This would give the author
contacts to help move funds out of Nigeria. In fact, I'm sure that
there are a number of reliable offshore banks that would be willing to
help arrange such a transfer for less than a 10% (from what I've read,
money laundering groups charge 5% or less).

I am the eldest son of the late Aloys Muzalia Wakyebwa (a foremost human
rights activist in the Democratic Republic of Congo). My father died in
September 2000 as a result of the inhumane treatment meted out on him while
in prison by the RCD Government of Goma and Rwanda allies. However, it is
particularly important to mention here that before the death of my father,
he was a politician, educationist, successful businessman and consultant
services which cut
across Africa.

He was able to accumulate enough money both in local and foreign currencies
through his business empire. His entire business has been on the upward
trend over the past ten years, bringing his net profit during the period
under review to twenty eight million U.S dollars ($28,000,000). This of
course does not include his assets which are already running into millions
of dollars.

Having said all this, there was a twist in my father's success
story following his confrontation with the RCD-Goma and Rwandam attack on
the Congolese people. My father being a human right activist, criticized
this attack. This infuriated them and he was clamped into jail until he died
in September. Fortunately, before the arrest of my father, his attorney
acting upon his instructions, transferred the sum of twenty -eight million
U.S dollars ($28,000,000) from his local banks to a security firm. He did
this for fear of this accounts being frozen.

Following my father's death, the entire family decided to seek political
asylum in Lome -Togo, as the eldest son of my late father and according to
our tradition in Africa. I have now inherited all my father's wealth. I was
then advised by my father's attorney (presently my attorney) to seek the
assistance of someone based in your country to receive the amount in
question being ($28,000,000). Since I have the intention of relocating my
family there with the aim of settling down there and investing. I have
decided to give you 10% of the $28,000.000.

To finalize this transaction you will have to contact me via my e-mail.
Further discussions will be centered on how and when we shall be meeting. I
shall expect you to keep this transaction confidential due to the present
circumstance of my family.

I urgently await your response.

Yours faithfully

Henry A. U Muzalia

This variation of the bank scam was sent to me by someone who read
this web page. This is a more sophisticated variation of the previous
"come-one" above. It is interesting to see how the story line has
evolved.

As always, I've only added formatting, but left the english alone.
I suppose that this one should be called a Congo Bank Scam,
rather than a Nigerian bank scam. Again, there is the massive irony of an
honest business person (a human rights activist, no less) making a
fortune in a poor, corrupt and conflict ridden country like the Congo.
For the sake of the Congolese (or Nigerian people) I only wish such
stories were true.

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

I am the eldest son of the late Henri Tobo Kabongo
(a foremost human rights activist in the Democratic
Republic of Congo). My father died in March 2000 as a
result of the in humane treatment meted out to him
while in prison by the government of Laurent Kabila.

However, it is particularly important to mention here
that before the death of my father, he was a
successful businessman and his business empire
includes real estate, exportation, banking and
consultancy services which cut across Africa. He was
able to accumulate enough money both in local and
foreign currencies through his business empire. In
fact, he was at one time rated among the first five
richest Congolese businessmen by one of the leading
business magazines in my country. His entire business
has been on the upward trend over the past ten years,
bringing his net profit during the period under
review to twenty one million U.S dollars
($21,000,000).

This of course does not include his
assets which are already running into millions of
dollars. Having said all this, there was a twist in my
father's success story following his confrontation
with the government of Laurent Kabila who has been
quite high-handed and dictatorial in his policies and
day-to-day running of the affairs of the Congolese
people.

My father being a human rights activist,
criticised his government in both local and
international newspapers. This infuriated him and he
clamped my father in jail until he died in March last
year due to ill health. Fortunately, before the arrest
of my father, his attorney acting upon his
instructions, transferred the sum of twenty one
million U.S dollars ($21,000,000) from his local banks
to a security firm overseas where it is presently. He
did this for fear of this accounts being frozen by the
government. Following my father's death, my entire
family and attorney decided to seek political assylum
in Lome, Republic of Togo, where we now coordinate my
father's business. Be that as it may, as the eldest
son of my late father and according to our tradition
in Africa. I have now inherited all my father's
wealth. Considering the present face-off between
Kabila and my family, I was then advised by my
father's attorney (presently my attorney) to seek the
assistance of someone based in your country to receive
the amount in question being ($21,000,000).

Since I have the intention of relocating my family there with the aim
of settling down there and investing. I have decided to give you 10%
of the total amount involved and I have also set aside 5% for any
expenses that might be incurred in the course of this transaction. To
finalize this transaction you will have to contact me via my e-mail
address (emma_tobo@yahoo.com). further discussions will be centered
on how and when we shall be meeting with the officials of the security
firm. I shall expect you to keep this transaction confidential due to
the present circumstance of my family and I urgently await your
response.

Yours faithfully

EMMA TOBO.

This is one of my favorite versons of the Nigerian Bank Scam, since it has the
moral elegance that anyone who falls for it deserves to be taken
advantage of.

The old style cons that were popular in the 1920s and 1930s attempted
to ensnare the "mark" through their greed by offering a chance to
profit from an illegal scheme. If the mark took the bait they would
be involved in an illegal conspiracy and would be less likely to
report it. I suspect that conspiracy to launder money is probably a
crime in the United States.

This version of the Nigerian scam follows the same course. Rather
than appealing to both greed and moral sense (e.g., stop the Dr. Evil
Fund for War in Africa and Other Places), this one is a straight
appeal to naked greed. The author claims that he and his colleagues
ripped off the Nigerian Petroleum corporation to the tune of
$21,500,000. At the end of the e-mail they mention that they are
cronies of the previous military dictatorship (a nasty bunch
responsible for killing the writer Ken Saro-wiwa, among others). They
need to get the money out before the democratically elected government
finds out about the theft.

Apparently they don't have the standard money laundering contacts and
they are appealing to the recipient for help in getting their ill
gotten gains out of the Nigeria. In return for this service they are
offering $6,450,000. Especially after the September 11, 2001
terrorist event and the new laws targeted at terrorist funds, some
trouble might be involved when $21,500,000 shows up unaccountably in
your bank account.

If almost six and a half million is not enough of an inducement to
take part in an illegal money laundering scheme they add an amusing
twist. "Dr. Jega" mentions that Patrice Miller (named, no doubt after
the African activist Patrice Lumumba), who they previously counted on
to transfer money disappeared with the whole boodle once the transfer
was complete. They even provide Mr. Miller's address and phone
number, but since we can assume that he is living in Monaco under
another name, he may be hard to interview. I assume that "Dr. Jega"
mentions Mr. Miller to suggest to the reader (in case they are too
stupid to figure it out themselves) that they could also make off with
all the money. After all, if you're a dumb greedhead, why settle for
a third of the imaginary funds when you can have the whole fictional
pie. The e-mail mentions up front that they stole the money, so
what's so bad about stealing from thieves.

RE:TRANSFER OF U$21,500.000{TWENTY ONE MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA
NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION(NNPC). SOMETIME AGO, A
CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO A FOREIGN FIRM IN THE PTF BY
MY COMMITTEE. THIS CONTRACT WAS OVER INVOICED TO THE
TUNE OF US$21.5M US DOLLARS. THIS WAS DONE
DELIBRATELY. THE OVER- INVOICING WAS A DEAL BY MY
COMMITTEE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT. WE NOW WANT TO
TRANSFER THIS MONEY WHICH IS IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT
WITH PTF INTO ANY OVERSEA ACCOUNT WHICH WE EXPECT YOU
TO PROVIDE FOR US.

SHARE:

60% WILL BE FOR MY PARTNERS AND ME.

30% OF THE MONEY WILL BE YOURS FOR PROVIDING THE
ACCOUNT WHERE WE SHALL REMIT THE MONEY.

10% HAS BEEN MAPPED OUT FROM THE TOTAL SUM TO COVER
ANY EXPENSES THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY US DURING THE
COURSE OF THIS TRANSFER, BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
EXPENSES.

IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT SIMILAR TRANSACTION WAS CARRIED OUT
WITH ONE MR. PATRICE MILLER, PRESIDENT OF CRANE INTERNATIONAL TRADING
CORP. OF 153 EAST 57TH ST; 28TH FLOOR, NY10022, TELEPHONE: 212-3087788
AND TELEX:6731689. THE DEAL WAS CONCLUDED AND ALL COVERING DOCUMENTS
WERE FOWARDED TO MR. MILLER TO AUTHENTICATE THE CLAIM. ONCE THE FUNDS
WERE TRANSFERRED, MR. MILLER PRESENTED HIS BANK WITH ALL THE LEGAL
DOCUMENTS AND REMITTED THE WHOLE FUNDS TO ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT AND
DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY. MY COLLEAGUES WERE SHATTERED [shocked, just
shocked they were], SINCE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT EASY TO COME BY.
AT THIS JUNCTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN ASSISTING US IN THIS DEAL, WE WOULD REQUIRE THE
FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM YOU, WHICH WOULD ENABLE US MAKE FORMAL
APPLICATION TO THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES\PARASTATAL FOR THE RELEASE AND
ONWARD TRANSFER OF THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE INFORMATION WE
REQUIRE ARE:

YOUR NAME, COMPANY`S NAME, ADDRESS , TELEFAX NUMBER.

YOUR BANK NAME ,ADDRESS, TELEFAX NUMBER.

YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND BENEFICIARY NAME.

WE HAVE STRONG RELIABLE CONNECTIONS AT THE CENTRAL
BANK OF NIGERIA AND OTHER GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS TO
ASSIST US IN THE DEAL, AND WHEN IT IS FINALLY
CONCLUDED WE SHALL USE SAME CONTACTS TO WITHDRAW ALL
DOCUMENTS USED TO AVOID ANY TRACE TO YOU OR US.
IT MIGHT ALSO INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE
ORDINARY CIVIL SERVANTS WHO DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS
OPPORTUNITY, SINCE WE WANT THIS MONEY TRANSFERRED
BEFORE THE NEWLY DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT
STARTS PROBING THE ACTIVITIES OF ALL PREVIOUS MILITARY
GOVERNMENTS.

PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH MY ABOVE TEL\FAX NUMBER
WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE INTRESTED IN THIS DEAL. IF YOU
ARE NOT IT WILL ENABLE ME SCOUT FOR ANOTHER FOREIGN
PARTNER TO ASSIST US. BUT IF YOU ARE INTRESTED PLEASE
SEND THE REQUIRED INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE
CAN SWING INTO ACTION, SINCE TIME IS NOT ON OUR PART.
I WAIT IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR FULLEST CO-COPERATION.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR.UBA JEGA.

The english in this version of the Nigerian scam is better than most.
However, it suffers from the usual problems in arithmetic and
notation. This particular scam allegedly involves over invoicing a
large order for computer systems. The order involves 2,367 computer
systems, at approximately $38,107 (US) per computer system.
Presumably each system is a multi-processor server with large amounts
of memory and disk space. These systems are being procured from
Bulgaria no less. Back in the days of the Soviet Union Bulgaria was
actually a high tech area where many of the Soviet Unions silicon
chips were fabricated. However, I'm told that those days are past. I
worked with someone from Bulgaria who told me that Bulgaria had "hit
bottom and was digging". So it's pretty unlikely that Bulgaria would
be supplying home grown computer systems. But what is a Nigerian Bank
Scam with out factual kinks.

Obviously if the story in this scam where true, it would involve fraud
and embezzlement, so it is amusing that at the end the author states
that it depends on "trust and fear of God".

First, I must solicit your trust and strictest confidence in this
transaction; this is by nature of the top-secret information I am
about to divulge to you. You were introduced to us by a mutual
acquaintance from the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Foreign Trade
Division, who does not know of the nature of what I am about to
introduce to you. He only knows that I have some funds to invest
abroad, hence he recommended you.

I am the Director of Engineering & Project of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (N.N.P.C) in Lagos, Nigeria. I am seeking your
assistance to enable me transfer the sum of US$14,300,000.00 into your
private company account for mutual benefits. This money came about as
a result of a contract for the supply of two thousand, three hundred
and sixty-seven computer unit, installation and the Y2K compliance
turn-around maintenance executed on behalf of my Ministry (N.N.P.C),
in the year 1999. This contract was officially assigned to be awarded
and executed by two foreign contractors at the tune of
US$105,500,000.00, but in the course of my negotiation, I bargained
with only one foreign contractor, a Bulgarian firm which now executed
the contract at the cost ofUS$90.2000.000.00. Thus leaving the
remaining US$14.3M floating in the escrow account of the Central Bank
of Nigeria (C.B.N) to the benefits of we the three members of the
contract award panel unknown to the contractor and any other person in
my Ministry. This contract has been satisfactorily executed and
inspected as the Bulgarian firm is presently securing his payment from
my Ministry.

It is however to this effect that I seek your maximum assistance and
approval to present your company name alongside with the Bulgarian
contractor as the second foreign contractor to enable me transfer the
difference (US$14.3M) into your account for further investment
depending on your advice.

On actualization of the transaction, the funds will be shared thus:

30% of the money go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the funds.

10% for reimbursement to both parties for incidental expenses that may
be incurred in the course of the transaction for insurance phone
bills, documentation etc.

60% to we three members of the Contract Award Panel.

All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for the
smooth actualization of the transaction within fourteen working days
of commencement after receipt of the following information by fax:
Your company's Name. Address. Phone/Fax number and
activities. Also, if we opt for electronic transfer only other than
payment by solar bank draft or cash call programme, then your bank
account particulars.

The above information will enable me make the application and lodge
claims to the concerned Ministries in favour of your company or name
and it is pertinent to state here that this deal is entirely based on
trust and the fear of God.

If you are able to handle, feel free to reach me by fax on:
234-1-7597998. Also furnish me with your own phone and fax numbers, as
I will be sending you immediately I receive your positive response
some classified documents.

Thanks in anticipation for your positive response.

Yours faithfully.
DR DAN OSA.

Here is an Ivory Coast/Sierra-Leone bank scam. Mrs. Joy Coleman was
married to a Mr. Fidelis (which happens to be Latin for Faithful).
This scam letter has not followed the usual pattern of using names
names that sound African to the westerner. As with most bank scam
come-ons, this is yet another manager who has amassed a fortune before
his untimely and violent demise. Once again, his desperate surviving
relatives are trying to get the money out of the country and are
willing to pay a hefty percentage of the assets to do so. This time
the money is with a security company in a "metallic box". It must be
a really big box to hold $18,500,000 (perhaps a steel cargo
container).

The sad fact is that Sierra-Leone has a recent history that is as
close to Hell on earth as anyplace I know of. People who had money
left long ago, however. It is tragic to see the horrible events that
took place in Sierra-Leone used as a pretext for a scam. It demeans
the victims of these events.

BASE ON THE INFORMATION I GATHERED ABOUT YOU FROM A VERY RELIABLE
SOURCE HERE IN ABIDJAN , I AM HAPPY TO WRITE AND SEND THIS MESSAGE TO
YOU. I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER AND GIVE IT URGENT AND FAVOURABLE REPLY
THROUGH THE FAX NUMBER ABOVE.

MY NAME IS MRS JOY COLEMAN, A CITIZEN OF SIERRA-LEONE AND THE WIFE OF
LATE MR. FIDELIS WHO BEFORE HIS DEATH WAS THE MANAGER OF SIERRA-LEONE
GOLD AND DIAMOND CORPORATION (SGDC). I HOPE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE WAR
GOING ON IN MY COUNTRY FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS NOW. IT WAS ONE OF THE
ATTACK BY THE REBELS THAT LET TO THE KILLING OF MY DEAR HUSBAND AND
THREE CHILDREN LEAVING I AND MY SON DAVID COLEMAN AS THE ONLY SURVIVAL
BECAUSE WE WENT TO A FUNERAL WHEN WE HEAR OF THE KILLING OF MY HUSBAND
AND CHILDREN WE FELT UNSAFE IN THE COUNTRY AND WE MANAGED TO ENTER
ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE THROUGH A FISHER MAN WHO OPERATE A FISHING
VESSEL THROUGH A COASTAL RIVER BETWEEN COTE D' IVOIRE AND
SIERRA-LEONE.

PLEASE WITH US IS (18,500,000.00) EIGHTEEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS CONTAINED IN ONE METALLIC BOX AND
PRESENTLY DEPOSITED IN A SECURITY COMPANY AS FAMILY VALUABLES.

MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO SEEK YOUR ABLE ASSISTANCE AS A FRONT IN
TRANSFERRING THIS FUND ABROAD IN YOUR ACCOUNT THEN AS A BUSINESS
DEVELOPER, YOU ALSO HELP US TO WISELY INVEST THE MONEY IN AREAS YOU
DEEM LUCRATIVE AND FINALLY OBTAIN A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR US TO SAY
COMFORTABLY THERE. WE CAN NOT GO BACK TO OUR COUNTRY NOW AS THE WAR IS
STILL GOING ON AND COTE D'IVOIRE IS PRESENTLY IN A SERIOUS POLITICAL
TURMOIL. WE THEREFORE WISH TO GO OUT HERE BEFORE THE WORST HAPPENS.

PLEASE FOR GOD SAKE BE MERCIFUL TO US AND AGREE TO HELP US TRANSFER
THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ABROAD. WE AGREE TO GIVE YOU 25% TO SEE
THIS DONE FOR US.

WE WILL SEND OUR PROOF OF THIS BOX AND MONEY AS SOON AS WE FAVOURABLY
HEAR FROM YOU AND PLEASE WE IMPLORE YOU TO TREAT THIS TRANSACTION ALL
SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIALITY FOR SECURITY REASAONS.

YOU CAN CONTACT MY SON DAVID COLEMAN ON THE ABOVE EMAIL FOR MORE
CLARIFICATION.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN ABUNDANCE AS YOU SHOW MERCY TO
THOSE THAT NEED MERCY.

THANKS

YOURS FAITHFULLY

MRS JOY COLEMAN

Unbeknownst to most of us, there are vast amounts of money rolling
around in African countries that most people in the United States
could not place on a map of Africa. Here is a case in point. An
unclaimed $126,000,000 in US Dollars that no one has noticed in this
bank. This is rather remarkable since the withdrawal of this kind of
cash would be noticed by large international banks. As always, these
funds are desperate to get out of the country.

In order to transfer out (USD 126 MILLION) One
hundred and twenty six million United States Dollars)
from BANK OF AFRICA BENIN [BAB]. I have the courage
to ask for your assistance to handle this important
and confidential business believing that you will
never let me down either now or in future.

I am MR JOE AKIN,the MANAGER of BANK OF AFRICA
BENIN [BAB]. There is an account opened in this bank
in 1980 and since 1990 nobody has operated on this
account again. After going through some old files in
the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this
money out urgently it will be forfeited for nothing.
The owner of this account is Mr. SMITH B.ANDREAS, a
foreigner, and a miner at KRUGER GOLD CO., a geologist
by profession and he died since 1990. No other person
knows about this account or any thing concerning it,
the account has no other beneficiary and my
investigation proved to me as well that this company
does not know anything about this account and the
amount involved is (USD 126M) One hundred and twenty
six million United States Dollars million dollars.

I want to first transfer [USD26M] twenty-six million
United States Dollars from this money into a safe
foreigners account abroad before the rest, but I don't
know any foreigner, I am only contacting you as a
foreigner because this money can not be approved to a
local bank here, but can only be approved to any
foreign account because the money is in us dollars and
the former owner of the account is Mr. Smith B.Andreas
is a foreigner too.

I know that this message will come to you as
asurprise as we don't know our selves before,but be
sure that it is real and a genuine business. I only
got your contact address from my secretary who
operates computer with believe in God that you will
never let me down in this business.
You are the only person that I have contacted in this
business, so please reply urgently so that I will
inform you the next step to take urgently. Send also
your private telephone and fax number including the
full details of the account to be used for the
deposit.

I want us to meet face to face or sign a binding
agreement to bind us together so that you can receive
this money into a foreign account or any account of
your choice where the fund will be safe. I will fly to
your country for withdrawal and sharing and other
investments. I am contacting you because of the need
to involve a foreigner with foreign account and
foreign beneficiary.

I need your full co-operation to make this work fine
because the management is ready to approve this
payment to any foreigner who has correct information
of this account, which I will give to you later
immediately, if you are able and with capability to
handle such amount in strict confidence and trust
according to my instructions and advice for our mutual
benefit because this opportunity will never come again
in my life.

I need truthful person in this business because I
don't want to make mistake I need your strong assurance
and trust. With my position now in the office I can
transfer this money to any foreigner's reliable
account, which you can provide with assurance that
this money will be intact pending my physical arrival
in your country for sharing. I will destroy all
documents of transaction immediately we receive this
money leaving no trace to any place.
You can also come to discuss with me face to face
after which I will make this remittance in your
presence and two of us will fly to your country so at
least two days ahead of the money going into the
account. I will apply for annual leave to get visa
immediately I hear from you that you are ready to act
and receive this fund in your account.

I will use my position and influence to effect legal
approvals and onward transfer of this money to your
account with appropriate clearance forms of the
ministries and foreign exchange departments.
At the conclusion of this business, you will be given
35% of the total amount, 60% will be for me, while 5%
will be for expenses both parties might have incurred
during the process of transferring.

Although I seem to be off the spam list for the bank scamers, my wife
is not. This is from her junk_mail file caught by the spam filter.
I particularly appreciated the fact that they "Brilliantly"
transferred the money. I guess that they have never heard of bank
accounts in near by Lichtenstein.

I know it's quite astonishing when a business
proposal comes from an unknown person whom you do not
know or have in anyway come in contact with. I got your
address from the chambers of commerce and industries
here in the Netherlands, due to the consideration of
your companies profiles, I solicit for your
understanding and co-operation in this transaction
that will be benefit to both of us.

I am from Sierra Leone in West Africa; a diamond
merchant, but presently residing in the Netherlands
due to the unstable political situation in my
country. My proposal to you is, we have Brilliantly
and quietly transferred my capital and that of my
friend which amounts to the sum of USD$10.5 Million
(TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) through a
diplomatic means in the Netherlands, which we safely
deposited with a security company in exchange to pay a
very high interest rates.

My partner and I will be willing to invest this fund
in your country, of course with your assistance once
we can trust you. We have also decided to give you 10%
of the total sum if you are able to assist us on the
areas of investment in this transaction. As we have
practical reasons for not investing in the
Netherlands. It might interest you to know that this
transaction is risk free for both parties. Hence all
modalities for efficient security, safety
and successful transaction have been arrange.

So please feel free to contact us with the above
number or you can e-mail us(bilytanla@yahoo.com) if
this proposal interest you.

Thanks and looking forward to your urgent reply.

Best Regards

BILY TANLA

My favorite cons are those that are upfront immoral schemes. Anyone
taken in by one of these schemes deserves what they get. Few schemes
could be more immoral than aiding in the secret transfer of money
amassed by an infamous kleptocrat and murderer.

Since I have some rather harsh words here for Mobutu's regime in what
was then known as Zaire, it is probably only fair to mention that my country,
the United States, played a part in bringing this murderer to power
(how much of a part is a matter of controversy).

In an interview, Larry Devlin, the CIA Station Chief at the time,
tells how even in the early stages of independence, Mobutu was seen as
a possible replacement for his sponsor Patrice Lumumba. Devlin
describes receiving the order to eliminate Lumumba

From a description of Mobutu, King of Zaire, A Three-Part Film
by Thierry Michel, which I found here

During the cold war, Mobutu was an "ally" of the United States, and
the United States turned a blind eye to Mobutu's excesses. It was
only when Mobutu lost his usefulness to US foreign policy that he
became the target to criticism.

The dictator (president for life and living god) Mobutu Sese-seko, who
was backed, sadly, during the cold war by the United States, is famous
for stealing billions of dollars from his starving and illiterate
people. In addition to being a kleptocrat, Mobutu is also infamous
for the mass murder of his people. But now that the great man is
gone, his family are in dire straights. Their chateaux has been
confiscated by those faithless French! Hundreds of millions have
been impounded. You just can't trust the Swiss anymore! Mobutu's
poor family is reaching out to the internet for help! How can we refuse?

I AM MRS. MARIAM SESE-SEKO WIDOW OF LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO OF
ZAIRE? NOW KNOWN AS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC).

I AM MOVED TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER, THIS WAS IN CONFIDENCE
CONSIDERING MY PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION. I ESCAPED ALONG
WITH MY HUSBAND AND TWO OF OUR SONS TIMOTHY AND BASHER OUT OF
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) TO ABIDJAN,COTE D'IVOIRE WHERE MY
FAMILY AND I SETTLED, WHILE WE LATER MOVED TO SETTLED IN MORROCO WHERE
MY HUSBAND LATER DIED OF CANCER DISEASE.

HOWEVER, DUE TO THIS SITUATION WE DECIDED TO CHANGED MOST OF MY
HUSBAND'S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN SWISS BANK AND OTHER
COUNTRIES INTO OTHER FORMS OF MONEY CODED FOR SAFE PURPOSE BECAUSE THE
NEW HEAD OF STATE OF (DR) MR LAURENT KABILA HAS MADE ARRANGEMENT WITH
THE SWISS GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO FREEZE ALL MY
LATE HUSBAND'STREASURES DEPOSITED IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. HENCE MY
CHILDREN AND I DECIDED LAYING LOW IN AFRICA TO STUDY THE SITUATION
TILL WHEN THINGS GETS BETTER, LIKE NOW THAT PRESIDENT KABILA IS DEAD
AND THE SON TAKING OVER(JOSEPH KABILA). ONE OF MY LATE HUSBAND'S
CHATEAUX IN SOUTHERN FRANCE WAS CONFISCATED BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT,
AND AS SUCH I HAD TO CHANGE MY IDENTITY SO THAT MY INVESTMENT WILL NOT
BE TRACED AND CONFISCATED. I HAVE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF ONE HUNDRED
MLLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$I00,000,000,00.) WITH A SECURITY
COMPANY , FOR SAFEKEEPING. THE FUNDS ARE SECURITY CODED TO PREVENT
THEM FROM KNOWING THE CONTENT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO INDICATE
YOUR INTEREST THAT YOU WILL ASSIST US BY RECEIVING THE MONEY ON OUR
BEHALF.

ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE, SO THAT I CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO MY SON
TIMOTHY WHO IS WAITING FOR MY INSTRUCTIONS AND HE HAS KNOWS ALL
MODALITIES FOR THE CLAIM OF THE SAID FUNDS. I WANT YOU TO ASSIST IN
INVESTING THIS MONEY, BUT I WILL NOT WANT MY IDENTITY REVEALED.

I WILL ALSO WANT TO BUY PROPERTIES AND STOCK IN MULTI-NATIONAL
COMPANIES AND TO ENGAGE IN OTHER SAFE AND NON-SPECULATIVE INVESTMENTS.
MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASISE THE HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY, WHICH
THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS, AND HOPE YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE, WHICH I REPOSE IN YOU.IN CONCLUSION, IF YOU WANT TO ASSIST
US , MY SON, TIMOTHY SHALL PUT YOU IN THE PICTURE OF THE BUSINESS,
TELL YOU WHERE THE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEING MAINTAINED AND ALSO
DISCUSS OTHER MODALITIES INCLUDING REMUNERATION FOR YOUR SERVICES.

FOR THIS REASON KINDLY FURNISH MY SON WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION,
THAT IS YOUR PERSONAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR CONFIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL USING THE ABOVE EMAIL
ADDRESS.

BEST REGARDS,

MRS B. SESE SEKO

Here is another "help the family" of that murderous kleptocrat Mobutu
Sese Seko "invest" the money Mobutu stole from what was then known as
Zaire. My bon mots are included in the text, enclosed by
square brackets. Mobutu probably had lots of mistresses and, if I
recall correctly, multiple wives. If you happen to be a moron
greedhead with no morals what-so-ever, I should mention that I could
find no reference to a "Philip" Mobutu (except in other copies of this
particular version of the Nigerian Bank scam). The author of this
come-on did not even go to the trouble of researching Mobutu's life.
Mobutu's most prominent son seems to be Nzanga Mobutu.

I am the son of the late President of the Federal Republic of Zaire,
President Mobutu Sese Seko, (now Republic of Congo, under the
leadership of the son of Mr. Laurent Kabila) [that would be Joseph
Kabila].

I presume you are aware there is a financial dispute between my family
(THE MOBUTU) and the present civilian Government. This is based on
what they believe as bad and corrupt government on my father's part
[such accusations for a man known to be a corrupt murderer who stole
hundreds of millions and defined the term kleptocrat]. May his
soul rest in peace.

Presently, we cannot do business here in Nigeria [home of the famous
Bank Scam] where we are seeking for asylum due to our refugee
status, and many countries of the world because of the new friendly
relationship between the present government and the western world [and
the fact that 'Dad' was a murderer and kleptocrat].

As you might have heard, a lot of my father's bank account in
Switzerland and North America have since been frozen [life is hard].
Following the above mentioned reasons, I am soliciting for your humble
and confidential assistance to take custody of Twenty Five Million,
Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$25,500,000.00), also to
front for me in the areas of business you desire profitable. This sum
of US$25.5M, has secretly been deposited into a confidential Security
Company where it can easily be withdrawn or paid to a
recommended beneficiary. The funds will be released to you by the
Security Company based on my recommendations. On this note, you will
be presented as my partner who will be fronting for me and my family in
any subsequent ventures. If this proposal satisfies you, do response as
soon as possible. Thank you and God bless

Yours Faithfully,

Philip Mobutu.

I thought that as a result of these web pages I might have been
removed from the Nigerian Bank Scam spam lists. But I just got one.
The author assures us that the offer is both real and legal. It
includes something that I have not seen before: money to be allocated
to paying taxes.

If we are to believe these Nigerian Bank Scam come-ons, the Nigerians
are the worlds worst money launderers. I am a humble computer
scientists, who always pays his taxes and whose law breaking
activities to date consist of an illegal left hand turn. But even I
know more than these guys (I read a lot). Here is the Bear Products
International guide to laundering money. Use at your own risk. I've
never tried any of these techniques and I don't advocate illegal acts.
The only money that gets laundered at the Bearcave is small
denomination bills that get left in pants that are thrown in the
washer.

The Bearcave Guide to Laundering Money

As the current press reports involving "blood diamonds" have
demonstrated, diamonds remain the best way to covertly move money
across international frontiers. Diamonds are untraceable and they can
be sold in the diamond markets in New York or Amsterdam. Keep in mind
that you will pay a premium for an unreported transaction, so be sure
to allow for this when calculating the quantity of diamonds you need.
One the basis of no experience what-so-ever the financial wizards at
Bear Products International estimate that you will need $750,000 worth
of diamonds to finally clear $500,000 in laundered funds. Be sure to
spread your funds across a number of bank accounts (known as
smurfing). This adds to costs, but helps avoid notice by those nasty
nosers at the United States Department of the Treasury. The money,
once it is laundered, can then be used to establish an import/export
business. You need to be sure that you do some amount of business to
justify the flow of inflated invoices. Using this technique, as the
Russians have in the past (see the articles on The Bank of New York
and Russian money laundering), you should be able to transfer all of
your ill gotten gains into the Land of Opportunity. Remember to make
use of reputable off shore banks like the Royal Bank of Canada.

May I first of all honestly express the seriousness and dutifulness
with which I am sharing this correspondence with you. I implore you to
hold it and all subsequent correspondences regarding this proposition
in strictest confidentiality.

Be allayed of any fears stemming from the genuineness of the
transaction. I know that as we progress, any existing doubt(s) will be
put to rest. Fortunately, I am in a position to ensure and will
actually see to it that the transaction is completed smoothly and
swiftly.

For your information, I am Mr. Mayowa Itunu a top Nigerian civil
servant with the Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA) and a member of
the 5-member adhoc committee set up by the Federal Government of
Nigeria to review contracts awarded by the previous military
administration between 1995-1999. We, the members of the committee are
interested in the importation of goods into the country with funds
presently floating in the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) foreign
payments account.

Our request is anchored on our desire and need to establish a
profiting business relationship with you and your company. We
therefore solicit your partnership to enable us transfer into your
designated account the said funds.

The funds in question, presently floating in the Federal Ministry of
Aviation (FMA) foreign payments account with the Federal Ministry of
Finance (FMF) is as a result of grossly over-invoiced contracts that
were executed for the FMA during the previous military administration
in Nigeria and are presently under verification. To this effect, the
present administration in Nigeria set up our adhoc committee to
identify, scrutinize and recommend for payment all valid contracts
that have been fully executed. In the course of our assignment, we
have identified a lot of misappropriated and inflated contract sums,
which are presently floating in the suspense account of the Federal
Ministry of Finance (FMF), ready for payment. The companies that
executed these contracts have been duly paid. It is part of the
over-inflated sum, totalling US$28,250,000.00 (twenty eight million,
two hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars) that we intend
to transfer into a foreign account.

The members of the committee have therefore mandated me, as a matter
of trust, to seek a foreign partner into whose account we would
transfer the sum of US$28,250,000.00 (twenty eight million, two
hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars). This is the main
purpose of this correspondence.

On completion of the transfer, we the committee members have agreed to
share the fund thus:

10% to be used in settling taxation and all local and foreign expenses
that will be incurred in the course of this transaction;

25% for the account owner (you) and

65% for us (the committee members)

It is from the 65% that we intend to commence the importation of goods
into the Nigerian market. Please note that this transaction is
completely safe and guaranteed since the law under which our committee
was set up has empowered us to disburse all the funds found to be
floating in the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) redundant accounts
from 1995 till date. Also, the present democratic dispensation creates
even a more favourable atmosphere.

We shall immediately commence with all appropriate arrangements to
transfer of the funds as soon as you send us the following
information;

Your company's name and full address (if you own one)

Your complete banking information. This should include,Your banker's
name, address, telephone and fax numbers (if you want to use your old
account however you can open a new account for this transaction)and
your account number.

Name of would be beneficiary

The above information is to enable us put up Letters of Claim and Job
Description to the appropriate ministries for the issuance of the
mandatory fund release approval/recommendations. This way, you or your
company will become recognized and accepted as the beneficiary of the
contract entitlements before the final remittance to your nominated
account by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) being the paying
body.

We look forward to doing business with you and solicit your absolute
confidentiality in this transaction. Please acknowledge receipt of
this letter using my American Efax number:1-775-254-8031 and/or email
address:mayowaitunu1@zipmail.com for more details regarding this
transaction.

I write to solicit your assistance for a transaction of mutual
benefit; believing that you will treat this with utmost confidence. I
implore you to excuse me of any embarrassment this letter might cause
you, as we have not met before.

I am Mr. Mark Eweka, son of the late Mr. Halid Eweka. It happens that
five months ago, my father who was the Chairman of the Committee set
up by the Sierra Leone Government to monitor the revenue generation
from the sales of Diamonds, died after engaging in a motor accident on
his way home from a National conference in Freetown. He was admitted
in the hospital for eight (8) days before he finally died. While I was
with him in the hospital, he disclosed a secret to me which am about
to share with you.

n
Before my father finally died in the hospital, he told me that he has
USD16,000,000.00 (Sixteen Million United States Dollars) cash in a
trunk box coded and deposited in a security company as a bonded
shipment. He said the security company is not aware of it's contents,
that on producing a document which am now in possession of, I will
only have to pay the demurrage, after which the box will be released
to me.

He further advised me not to collect the money without the assistance
of a foreigner who will open a local account in favour of his company
for onward transfer of the funds to his nominated overseas account
where l can peacefully invest the money. He said as a civil servant,
I am not supposed to own such money, and l would face lots of problems
at the bank if l try to deposit the funds in my name without the
assistance of foreigner.

It is in view of this, that l have decided to contact you for
assistance with the following conditions:

That this transaction is treated with Utmost confidence, cooperation
and absolute secrecy which it demands.

That the money would be transferred to an account where the incidence
of taxation would not take much toll.

You would assist in paying the demurrage and handling charges.

You would have 20% of the funds for your assistance.

Please contact me at once if you can be of assistance. I am at the
moment Ivory Coast, you can call me on 225 05 894 529. To enable you
get through when calling, make sure you do not exclude any digit from
the numbers. (225 is the country code), (05 is the area code, dial
the 05 exactly the way it is, do not exclude the zero).

For confidentiality sake, please do not send me email, the email
address is not a private one. Give me a call and we would arrange a
better communication.

Yours sincerely .

Mark Eweka

My benchmark for elegant scams are those that ask the mark to do
something that is immoral or illegal. These scams can only take
advantage of a person with "larceny in their heart".

Certainly posing as the next of kin and contracting for fraudulent
documents stating that this is the case is both immoral and illegal.
So I kind of like this scam. There are no doubt numerous fees for the
attorneys, bribes to be paid, all of which will come out of the mark's
pocket (to be reimbursed from the twenty five mill.)

I love the "risk free part". Of course there is no $25 million. But
lets pretend for a moment that there is. Unless you're a big US
corporation, with a big political action committee that makes large
donations to the Republican party (think Enron), you cannot transfer
large amounts of money without attracting lots of attention. You can
bet that US Treasury and FBI would stop by to ask about the $25
million that suddenly appeared in your bank account. Undeclared
transfers of this kind are illegal in most countries.

I am Paul Odu, Bank Manager of Diamond Bank of Nigeria, Lagos Branch. I
have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On June 6, 1997, a FOREIGN Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Barry Kelly made a numbered time
(Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$25,000,000.00
(Twenty- five Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a
routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After
a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that
Mr. Barry Kelly died from an automobile accident.

On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a
WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I
therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Barry
Kelly did not declare any kin or relations in all his official
documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum
of US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is
being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No
one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law,at
the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the
ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the
fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will [would] like you as an
Foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Barry Kelly so that
the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some
corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will [would] like you to
provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney
will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits, which will put
you in place as the next of kin.

We shall employ the service of two Attorneys for drafting and
notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and
letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer. A
bank account in any part of the world, which you will provide, will
then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the
beneficiary/next of kin.The money will be paid into your account for
us to share in the ratio of 80% for me and 20% for you. There is no
risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by
the Attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via the private email
address below. Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more
details and relevant documents that will help you understand the
transaction. Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured
that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because
I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your
country. Awaiting your urgent reply via my
email:paul2odu@hotvioce.com. Thanks and regards.

MR. Paul Odu

The bank scams seem to be branching out. Here is one involving South
Africa. There is no back story about how they got the money, which is
disappointing from an entertainment point of view. Also, there is no
mention of the fee that will be paid. This has the disadvantage of
not appealing to the greed of the intellectually and morally
challenged reader. I've copied the e-mail without correcting the
obvious errors in punctuation and numeric notation.

Compliment of the season! It is indeed my pleasure to write to you
this letter, which i believe, will be a big surprise as we are both
complete strangers. I work for the Ministry of Minerals and Energy in
South Africa, and by this letter I am representing and also acting on
behalf of two of my senior colleague (The Director General and The
Group General Manager) whose mandate I have got to contact a trusted
and reliable foreign based businessman, concerning the business matter
of mutual benefit to all.

By this mandate given to me, we are in dire need of a foreign partner
to assist us in the transfer/investment of USD 15,00,000,00. (fifteen
Million, United States Dollars). The key issues are the transfer and
the subsequent investment of the said sum. We are ready to go into an
agreement with you and also offer you a negotiable fee for putting
together an investment portfolio.

It does not matter whether or not you own a company or you have
invested funds before. We shall guide you on what to do. The basis
will be that a major company won a contract and subcontracted it to
you. More often, big trading companies and firms of unrelated field
win contracts and subcontracts to more specialized firms for
execution.

We shall follow strictly all the legal procedures entailed in
our laws and international laws in transferring the funds to
you. The source of the funds is legitimate and
authoritative.

Please, be informed that under the South Africa Government monetary
policy, strategic positioned government officials are not allowed to
operate or own bank account overseas, hence our need for a foreign
partner to front for us.

We pray that you take the essence of this letter in strict confidence,
as the two officials involved would not like to be exposed on
this. Kindly notify me via my e-mail, upon you acceptance to assist
us. Further details will be made available to you as soon as you
reply. We shall provide you with our confidential phone and fax
number, once there is positive response from you.

Thank you and God bless, as we wait for your urgent response.

Best Regards.

TAMBO SISULU

I thought that this version of the scam had a better story than most.
The events related in the "come-on" are part of actual history. Here
is this poor guy whose father was murdered by Mugabe in the "land
reform". He's seeking help to get his money out so he can leave the
horrorshow that Zimbabwe has become. The english better than most of
these scam letters. Mr. Matongo does not directly appeal to the reader's
naked greed, although he leaves the path open. Of course anyone who
falls for this will find that this poor soul needs a few thousand here
and there to pay bribes, fees etc... to complete the transaction. All
fees will be paid back, of course.

From a moral stand point, the scams that appeal to the greed of the
reader are the best, since they only ensnare the immoral. This scam,
however, appeals to someone's better nature - helping someone who is a
victim of horrible events. Of course there is nothing better than
doing good and turning a profit, which this scam also offers as an
inducement to the ignorant.

Date: do, 14 nov 2002 14:05:19

Good Day,

With warm heart I offer my friendship, and my greetings, and I hope
this letter meets you in good time. It will be surprising to you to
receive this proposal from me since you do not know me
personally. However, I am sincerely seeking your confidence in this
transaction, which I propose with my free mind and as a person of
integrity.

My name is Michael Ndlovu Matongo, the son of Phiri Matongo, a farmer
from Zimbabwe, murdered in the land dispute in my country. As led by
my instict, I decided to contact you through email, after searching
for contacts via the internet, as it is the only means I can contact
anybody since I am cutting off ties with Zimbabwe for now. I apologize
if this is not acceptable to you.

The purpose of this letter is to seek your most needed assistance in a
business venture. Due to the the land and political problems in
Zimbabwe, as a result of President Robert Mugabe's introduction of new
Land Act Reform wholly affecting the rich white farmers and the few
rich black farmers, and his desire to hold on to power for life, my
father forsaw the danger that came in Zimbabwe. Before he was
murdered, he withdrew all of our business foreign accounts in dollars
and sold up our shares in major companies. We then went to
Johannesburg, South Africa to deposit the sum of US$8.5 million (Eight
million, Five Hundred thousand US dollars), in a private security
company. This money was deposited with this Private Security company
for safety and security reasons, and was to be used for the purchase
of land, new machines and chemicals establishment of new farms in
Botswana.

President Mugabe's support for the violent Zimbabwean war veterans and
some lunatics in the society, led to the murder of my beloved father
and other innocent lives. I was continually threatened to abandon my
inheritance from my father after he was murdered. I resisted for a
while, but when the danger became unbearable, and I survived two
murder attempts, I fled Zimbabwe.

I am currently staying in the Netherlands where I am seeking political
asylum. In fact my decision to come here to seek asylum, is because
the security company from South Africa, has a branch here, I have
contacted to move the safe deposit from their office in Johannesburg
here, which they have since done.

I need to transfer this money to an account and invest part of the
money. Since the law of Netherlands prohibits a refugee (asylum
seeker) to open any bank account or to be involved in any financial
transaction, this is why I am seeking a genuine and reliable partner,
whose account this money can be transferred, hence this proposal to
you.

You have to understand that this decision taken by me is a very big
one, and it entrusts my future and in your hands, as a result of the
safe keeping of this money.

If you accept to assist me, all I want you to do for me, is to assist
with arrangements to claim the deposit from the security company from
their office here in The Netherlands, as it has now been transfered
from Johannesburg, South Africa to their branch here. The company will
be legally informed of you representing me.

For your assistance, I have two options for you. Firstly you can
choose to have 10% of the money for your assistance, and helping me
open an account for the money to be deposited here, or you can go into
partnership with me for the proper profitable investment of the money
in your country. Whichever the option you want, please to notify me in
your reply.

I have also set aside 1%($85,000) of this money for all kinds of
expenses that come our way in the process of this transaction, and 4%
($340,000) for Charity donation. If you prefer to accept the 10% for
assisting with opening an account, then 85%($7,225,000) will be left
in the account here for me.

Please, I want to you maintain the absolute secrecy for the purpose of
this transaction.

I look forward to your reply and co-operation, and I thank you in
advance as I anticipate your co-operation.

Sincerely,
M.N. Matongo.

I found this version of the Nigerian bank scam amusing enough to
reproduce here. First, the english structure and composition, while
not flawless, is better than usual. The name is also familiar to the
western reader: "Graham Douglas". So WASPy, so trust worthy. Not
some ethnic name like Alphonse Capone. This version of the scam even
avoids using the term "modalities" (which most people never encounter
outside of Nigerian bank scams). There is even an enticing moral
structure. Here's this guy who died in Nigeria and left a pile of
money. He has no relatives to claim these funds. The author of the
email has spent years looking. If "Dr. Graham Douglas" does not get
help moving the money out of the country, it will be used by nefarious
African military types to purchase arms and ammunition to kill the
innocent and foment civil war. So getting this money out will not
only make the recipient rich, but will do a good deed. Of course
there are the usual expenses, bribes, fees and so on (all to be
reimbursed). The only thing missing is mention of why they chose to
send this email to me. Usually bank scams mention that the author has
been told that I'm very reliable (suggesting that my fame has spread
as far as Nigeria).

I know that this email will surely come to you as a
surprise, but I will crave your indulgence to view it
seriously and I apologise, but I hope that it will be a
welcome surprise. Before I run out of steam, I will like
to introduce my self and go straight to the point. My name
is Dr.Graham Douglas a banker. My primary reason for writing
to you is to seek your partnership/assistance in a business
transaction. I need your partnership and assistance because
of the following reasons:

a. it is practically impossible for me to carry out this
business alone.

You live in a foreign land far away from mine. This
should normally not be a requirement, but when you
understand the transaction then you will understand why it
is important that you live far away from me.

The amount of money involved in this transaction is
US$18,500,000.00, which is too much for a man of modest
means like my self to handle in my country.

I believe from my few points above, you can begin to get an
idea why I need your participation.

Let me explain how the money, which is the basis of this
business I am proposing, came about. Before I became a
deputy director, some years ago I used to be Accounts
Officer to some special corporate customers. One of these
very important customers of our bank(Union Bank PLC) was
Engineer Johnson Juan Creek an American citizen, who had
spent most of his years before his death working in Africa
and mostly in Nigeria. He died in a plane crash in 1996 in
Nigeria.

This money belonged to him. Technically speaking now,it
belongs only to his name. The money is payment he received
for a contract he executed on behalf of the Federal
Ministry of Works and Housing for the government
(Installation of Pipelines in Warri Refinery).

My reason for deciding to carry out this transaction is
that Engineer Creek did not mention any next of kin in any
of the documents held by the bank for the number of years
he had banked with us. Since 1996 we have searched for any
body that could be related to late Engineer Creek , I was
mandated by the bank to search for a relation of late
Engineer Creek and I did this from January 1997 to December
1999 after which the search was called off in the belief
that soon a relative may turn up to claim his estate.
Nevertheless, as it is, there is no relative.

Now, the Chairman of the bank who is a retired soldier has
indicated his intentions for the money. During the last
meeting of Directors and Deputies, he said that he would
donate the money to a military trust if it is not claimed
soon, this invariably means the continuous flow of more arms
and ammunition. I know for sure that not all of the money
will go to the military trust some will surely line his
pockets and that if anybodywho is in support of his plan.

My plan is to get a trust worthy person that can, under my
constant guidance present him self as a cousin to the late
Engineer Creek. I want you to note that your citizenship
does not matter;You do not have to be an American. The
papers demanded by the normal procedure for the claiming of
an inheritance will take care of everything. You will be
sole beneficiary to the estate of Engineer Creek. All I
need is for you to follow my instructions closely because I
am experienced in inheritance matters here and I am on
ground here to advice you on every step until you receive
the money.

when we meet.For your participation, we will allow you 30%
of the gross.All expenses incurred in the process of this
transaction will be deducted from the gross value and
shared at a commensurate ratio; this we will done at the
end of the transaction, because the money is bonded.

An estimated 10% or less will cover all incidental expenses
and we will take 60% for ourselves. The most important
thing to me right now is trust on both sides. Now the money
is still in the care of the bank, I hope the trust will
still be there when we must have legally established your
relationship as cousin to Engr. Creek and the money is paid
to you.

I need also to trust that you will not tell people or your
bank about this business. You will collect the money first,
then I get my share, then you can tell anybody what you
chose thereafter. I shall need your help to invest in your
country; therefore, any experience you have in this area
will be beneficial.

Surely, you must have some questions or may be you just
need further clarification. I will be happy to receive a
telephone call from you or a fax message to this effect,
this will enable men explain further what the next step is
and the general plan.

I will also need your most confidential telephone number
and fax number, if you have a mobile phone I believe
it will help so that I can reach you anytime.

Please kindly respond by email only

Your positive and negative response is highly welcome.

Dr.Graham Douglas.

Here is a scam with a great sob story. The events related in Zimbabwe
hae a historical basis. Opposition politicians might well want to get
out before Mugabe's thugs kill them. And Mugabe has already seized
the property of a number of white farmers. Opposition politicians
might be next (assuming that they had assets). Truely a person in
need. Who would not want to help them, especially in return for $3.6
million? Obviously the answer to this question is anyone who has
heard of the Nigerian Bank Scam.

I write to inform you of my desire to acquire estates
or landed properties in your country on behalf of my
Husband, Former opposition Vice Presidential Candidate
in Zimbabwe's last general elections recently
concluded Considering the strategic and influential
position he held in the opposing political party in
Zimbabwe, he would want the transaction to be strictly
confidential as possible.He further wants his identity
to remain undisclosed at least for now, until the
completion of the transaction.Hence our desire to have
an overseas Manager.

I want to inquire on behalf of my family if you would
agree to act as our overseas Manager in order to
actualize this transaction.

We have heard rumours that President Robert Mugabe
intends to confiscate all properties and assets
belonging to top members of the opposing political
party and try them for treason andattempt to
assasinate him.If found guilty, they will be jailed or
executed, this is one of his moves in becoming a
dictator

The project in brief, is that the funds with which we
intend to carry out our proposed investments in your
country, is presently in the custody of a security
Company in overseas and we need your assistance to
transfer the funds to your country in a convenient
bank account that will be provided by you before we
can put the funds into use in your country. For this,
you shall be considered to be the beneficiary of the
money. The total sum is US$18 Million, of which your
share shall be 20% if you agree to be our overseas
agent and the remaining 80% is for buying the
properties in your Country with your assistance.This
money is part of the donations we received from
friends and from various governments that was in
support of the removal of President Robert Mugabe
during the recently concluded Presidential elections
in Zimbabwe. The President is aware of this money that
is why we have deposited the money with the Security
Comapany in overseas.

As soon as payment is effected, and the amount
mentioned above is successfully transferred into your
account, we intend to use our own share in
acquiring some estates abroad. For this too you shall
also be our overseas manager of all our properties and
you will be paid based on a certain percentage agreed
on by both parties.

In the light of this, I would like you to forward to
me the following information:

Your company name and address(if any)

Your personal telephone/fax number.

Complete Mailing Address

The name you want us to use as beneficiary.

As soon as i receive the above information from you,i
will present it to our family,s lawyer to raise a
power of Attorney empowering you to have full
authority over the total money.

You are requested to communicate your acceptance of
this proposal through my above stated email address
after which my elder brother(SunnyMutola) shall
discuss the modalities of the transaction with you.

Your quick response will be highly appreciated. Thank
you in anticipation of your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,

Victoria Komo.

An Enron, WorldCom, Adelphi or Tyco bank scam still has not appeared
(see below), but the bank scams are spreading beyond Africa. The one
below is from the Philippines. The author is obviously trolling for
someone with no morals, since "she" notes that her husband is in
jail for corruption and that she has secretly amassed a fortune of $30
million. There is the usual enticement for theft as the author notes
that she trusts that the recipient is "God fearing" and will not make
off with all the money (hint, hint).

Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 11:54:16 +0100
Subject: MRS LOI C. ESTRADA

Dear Sir,

My name is LOI C.ESTRADA, The wife of Mr. JOSEPH ESTRADA, the former
President of Philippines located in the South East Asia. My husband
was recently impeached from office by a backed uprising of mass
demonstrators and the Senate. My husband is presently in jail and
facing trial on charges of corruption, embezzlement, and the
mysterious charge of plunder which might lead to death sentence.

The present government is forcing my husband out of Manila to avoid
demonstration by his supporter. During my husband's regime as
president of Philippine, I realized some reasonable amount of money
from various deals that I successfully executed . I have plans to
invest this money for my children's future on real estate and
industrial production.

My husband is not aware of this because I wish to do it secretly for
now. before my husband was impeached, I secretly siphoned the sum of
$30,000,000 million USD (Thirty million United states dollars) out of
Philippines and deposited the money with a security firm that
transports valuable goods and consignments through diplomatic means.

I am contacting you because I want you to go to the security company
and claim the money on my behalf since I have declared that the
consignment belong to my foreign business partner. You shall also be
required to assist me in investment in your country. I hope to trust
you as a God fearing person who will not sit on this money when you
claim it, rather assist me properly, I expect you to declare what
percentage of the total money you will take for your assistance. When
I receive your positive response I will let you know where the
security company is and the payment pin code to claim the money which
is very important.

For now, let all our communication is by e-mail because my line are
right now connected to the Philippines Telecommunication Network
services.

Please also send me your telephone and fax number.

I will ask my son contact you to give you more details on after i have
received a response from you.

Thank you and God bless you and family.

MRS LOI C ESTRADA

I have been waiting for the Nigerian bank scam to branch out beyond
the bounds of Nigeria. Here is one that claims to be from Britain.
It arrived without paragraph formatting, which I have attempted to
correct in the interests of readability. The English structure and
strange capitalization were in the original.

I suppose that a Tory might list this as evidence of the decline of
the British school system. These sort of errors, a Tory might claim,
would never have happened in the days when the cane was liberally
applied. In this era of poodle Prime Ministers, these Tories can
only dream of the vanished empire and caned buttocks. Even now,
however, it is difficult to imagine such an illiterate making the
Queen's List.

What sets this bank scam apart from most of the others included here
is that the scammers seem to have done at least some basic research.
There really is a National
Westminster Bank (called NatWest) and the address given may indeed
be a valid NatWest address. Interestingly, National Westminster Bank
is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, a bank holding company in
Great Britain.

Dr. Stanley Heard really did die in a plane crash. Apparently
Dr. Heard was, in fact, a "Friend of Bill" and treated President
Clinton's mother, stepfather and brother. He was, presumably, also a
donor to the Clinton politcal cause. All this makes Dr. Heard grist
for the conspiracy mill. A Google search for "Stanley Heard"
"plane crash" Clinton will return a number of right wing web sites
which suggest that Dr. Heard was murdered ("his death was no
accident"), along with Vince
Foster. To someone who wants to believe in this scam, such a
background might suggest that Dr. Heard would have a big chunk of
money offshore collected for Clinton. Of course the real money is
with Republicans (think Enron, Tyco, and the offshore slush funds set
up during the Reagan administration).

Apparently Dr. Heard was a chiropractor, so the claim that he was
President Clinton's "personal physician" is false. Dr. Heard was not
a medical doctor and U.S. Presidents are usually treated by doctors at
the U.S. Army's Walter Reed
Hospital.

I am Sir. Alex Johonson,the bills exchange director at the NATIONAL
WESTMINSTER BANK PLC, 135 BISHOPSGATE LONDON EC2M 3UR. I am writing
this letter to solicit for support and assistance from you to carry
out this business opportunity in my department.

Lying in an inactive account is the sum of ninty six Million United
States Dollars($96,000,000.00)belonging to a foreign customer(Stanley
Heard),the former President(Bill Clinton's personal physician) and
Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee
who happens to be deceased. He died with his wife and two children in
a plane crash on Board a small airplane that plunged into a
river.

Ever since he died the Bank has been expecting his next of kin to come
and claim these funds. To this effect, we cannot release the money
unless some one applies for it as the next of kin, as indicated in our
Banking Guideline. Unfortunately he has no family member here in the
UK or America who are aware of the existence of the money as he was he
was a contract physician to the Chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland.

At this juncture I have decided to do business with you in
colloboration with officials that matter in the Bank. To this effect
we solicit your assistance, in applying as the next of kin, then the
money will be proccesed and released to you, as we do not want this
money to go into the Bank Treasury as an unclaimed bill.

The Banking law and guideline stipulate that if such money remains
unclaimed for a period of Ten years the money will be transfered into
the Banks. Treasury as unclaimed bill. Our request for a Foreigner as
a next of kin is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a
Foreigner and a British cannot stand as next of kin.

Sir, 15% of the money will be your share as a Foreign partner, while
5% will be for any expenses incured during the transaction, thereafter
we would visit, your country once the money hits your account for
disbursement and investment.

Please reach me at the above email if willing to do
business with us.

Best regards,

Sir. Alex Johnson

And here is a bank scam supposedly from Hong Kong. I received the
SPAM for this scam on July 10, 2003. So we can assume that time is of
the essence, since the five years mentioned in the SPAM will be up in
a year. The short time window presumably allows the scammer to tell
the mark to "send money, quick" to "facilitate" the transaction or
those government officials will get their hands on it. Then the money
will all be gone and all will be lost. All that is needed are a few
thousand dollars to allow the realization of undreamed of wealth. And
then a few thousand more...

These scams are always full of logical holes. One of the most obvious
in this case is the fact that the SPAM mentions that the interest on
$38 million has been compounding over for five years (1998 to 2003).
Yet the balance mentioned is still $38 million. We can only assume
that the scammer is too lazy to calculate an appropriate appreciation.

I've only added a little HTML formatting. The idiosyncratic english
is left as in the original. This scam does not use the word
"modalities", as so many of the African scams do. I guess that the
authors don't realize that its not a bank scam without the magic
"modalities" word.

I am Mr.Wang Qin, credit officer of Hang Seng Bank Ltd. I have an urgent
and very confidential business proposition for you.

On June 6, 1998, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the Chinese Solid
Minerals Corporation, Mr. Smith Lawrence made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit
for twelve calendar months, valued at US$38,000,000.00 (Thirty-eight Million
United States Dollars only) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered
from his contract employers, the Hong Kong Solid Minerals Corporation that
Mr. Smith Lawrence died from an automobile accident.

On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a
WILL,and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I
therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Smith
Lawrence did not declare any kin or relations in all his official
documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.

This sum of US$38,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest
is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.
No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Hong Kong,
at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership
of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in
as the next of kin to Mr. Smith Lawrence so that the fruits of this old man's
labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government
officials.

This is simple, I will like you to provide
immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the
necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of
kin.

We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting and
notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and
letter of probate/administration in your favour for the transfer. A
bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then
facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next
of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of
60% for me and 30% for you and 10% for Expenses Incurred by you or me in the
course of the transaction.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will
be done by the attorney and with my position as the credit officer
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately to my email box. Upon
your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand the transaction. Please send
me your confidential telephone(mobile) and fax numbers for easy
communication. You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest
assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us
because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your
country.

Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr.Wang Qin.

The banks scams seem to follow current events. Of course since most
people in the United States don't read the newspaper or magazines like
The Economist, they have no idea what these current events are (as I
write this some of my fellow citizens are not sure whether or not US
forces still occupy Iraq).

Never the less, the scammers, hopeful that their mark might be
ignorant enough to fall for the scam but still knowledgeable enough to
understand the context, have branched out beyond Nigeria to Zimbabwe,
Sierra Leone and now Iraq.

In this scam the corrupt customs official, Alhaji Malam Yakubu, peace
be upon him, and his colleagues have grabbed two "gigantic trunk
boxes" belonging to Saddam Hussein's murderous henchmen. They don't
want to disclose the contents of these boxes, but the implication is
that it is valuable: US dollars, diamonds, something like that. Of
course given the sort of thing that US forces found in the abandoned
palaces in Iraq, it could as well be a large cache of Viagra, lace
panties, dildos and butt plugs.

I AM MAKING THIS CONTACT BASED ON MY PRESUMED RELIANCE, AFTER
GOING THROUGH A BRIEF PROFILE OF YOUR COMPANY.
I AM ALHAJI MALAM YAKUBU FROM WEST-AFRICA (A GHANAIAN). I AM A
CUSTOMS SUPERINTENDENT OFFICER ATTACHE TO THE GHANA PORTS AND HARBOURS
AUTHORITY. TEMA, AND I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ESTABLISH THIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOU IN BENEVOLENT SPIRIT AS TO ENHANCE IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION TO AN
OPPORTUNITY RIGHTLY AT HAND.

IT WAS MORE LIKE A DREAM WHEN TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES I INTERCEPTED
TWO (2) GIGANTIC TRUNK BOXES AT OUR SEA PORT IN THE EARLY HOURS OF
2ND APRIL, 2003 ON TRANSIT TO CAIRO, EGYPT.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OWNERS WHOM ACCORDING TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS
WERE ARABIANS FROM THE GULF REGION (SOME OF THE SADAM HUSSAIN'S
ENTOURRAGE) WITHDREW FROM THE OPERATION SINCE THEY OBVIOUSELY STAND NO
CHANCE OF DEFENDING THE SOURCE OF THE CONTENT OF THESE BOXES.
ALSO, AS A MATTER OF FACT THAT THIS SAME PEOPLE ARE ACCORDING TO
OUR INVESTIGATION FACING CHARGES OF LOOTS AND HUMAN-RIGHT ABUSES IN
IRAQ.

AFETR DUE INVESTIGATIONS AND CLEARIFICATIONS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO
OWN THESE BOXES WHICH'S CONTENT I CANNOT DISCLOSE NOW FOR SECURITY
REASONS, TO OURSELVES. SINCE WE HAVE EARLIER DECIDED NOT TO OFFCIALLY
ANNOUNCE THIS INTERCEPTION FOR ABVIOUS REASON.

WE URGENTLY NEED AN INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE AS TO ENABLE US
TRANSFER THESE BOXES AND THEIR CONTENTS ABROAD. MEANWHILE, I AM ONLY
SENDING THIS PROPOSAL TO ASCERTAIN YOUR INTREST AND ONCE POSITIVE RESPONCE
IS RECIEVED FROM YOU, ASSURING ME OF YOUR UTMOST COOPERATION,
SINCERITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY, I WILL PROCEED TO FURNISH YOU WITH ALL
DETAILS AND HOW WE INTEND TO CARRY OUT THIS RISK FREE TRANSACTION WITHOUT
FURTHER DELAY.Please you can also reach me on this email:
malamyakubu22@runbox.com, and the below telephone number.

The Nigerian bank scams (now branching out beyond Nigeria) tend to
follow the current international news. The on-going civil war and the
atrocities in Liberia have been in the news and the banks scams
follow.

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have
not yet met, but kindly consider the message, because, I am determined
to live for posterity.

I wish to plead with you to join me in not only serving humanity, but
to also benefit in the process. This message could be strange but reality will
definitely dawn on you, if you pay some attention to its contents.

Please accept my sincere apologies. In bringing this message [ahh,
scam] to you, I have to say that I have no intention of causing you
any personal pains or discomfort. I am Mr. Jonson Tubman, former
Special Assistant to the Liberian President, Mr. Charles Taylor, who
is facing the fight of his life with rebels who want to overthrow his
government.

President Charles Taylor, in his bid to fend-off rebel insurgency, and
since he could no longer trust the army generals, confidentially put
in my care, the sum of $18,000,000.00 (eighteen million United States
dollars) in one instance for the purpose of purchasing arms and
ammunitions should the need arise. But unfortunately, the need did not
arise as he is going on exile.

I deposited the US$18million in a trunk box in a secret location and
just the two of us knew about it, and I could not get in touch with
any arms dealer before the President was indicted in a war crime
tribunal set up by the United Nations (UN). I have since held on to
this trunk box, which I was able to transport out of Liberia with the
aid of peace keeping soldiers under the guise of conveying my personal
effects without anybody knowing, to a security deposit company.

I am presently in Africa, where I now work as a consultant on
inter-regional co-operation. I have borne the burden for too long. I
do not want to keep the funds any longer, but I can never turn it over
to the brutal and tyrannical rogue regime of Mr. Charles Taylor who is
still committing all sorts of atrocities on the liberian people. I am
NOT solicitng for your help to wage a war against the regime, but to
act as a foreign partner, to allow me transfer the funds to you, and
YOU, in turn, would donate a portion of it as a humanitarian gesture
to the Liberian people by purchasing such essential needs like
blankets, milk and so on, water-pumping machines and agricultural
equipment, from the money after deducting your expenses and the
comission of 20%.

Please note that I could have approached the Red Cross Society, but I
changed my mind on that after calculating what they would deduct as
comission, and also, after rationalising the scandal that followed
their mismanagement of the donations meant for the victims of the
September 11th attack on the United States.

Also note that this offer will give you a double-edged advantage :

as the benefactor of the Liberian people and;

the comission you stand to earn.

On getting a positive response from you, I will send to you the secret
access codes to the funds and the security and vault company. Please
note that confidentiality and honesty are fundamental rules in this
transaction. Be assured that I am a reputable personality in this
country and I am mindful of the legal implications of this
transaction, as I intend taking care of all the legal documentations
for a successful and hitch-free transaction. You will be expected to
take delivery of this fund personally from the deposit company in
Europe.

I am therefore soliciting your assistance to have this money collected
by you and/or facilitate the transfer into your nominated account(s).
***PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSACTION IS HIGHLY REQUIRED.
I will give you the details of this transactionon receipt of your response to
this proposal. Thank you very much for your time and understanding.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Jonson Tubman

I liked the creativity of this scam. I don't think that it is as
amusing as my Enron scam below, but it is good enough to be added to
this growing collection. After all, who could doubt this dying
Christian woman, who has experienced such tragic events.

This is not per se a bank scam. This appears to be what is
called an advance payment scam. Presumably the story is that the
money in Amsterdam can only be retreived after a payment, which the
"mark" is supposed to front to allow the transaction to move forward.

The original arrived without paragraph formatting, which I have
attempted to provide for readability. I've left the usual mistakes in
english grammar. It is interesting to note that the author did not
cite the biblical quotation properly either. The usual format would
be Exodus 14:14 (which is also translated as "The Lord will fight for
you, and you can be still").

From: Mrs Serena Jones
PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USED IT FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

I am the above named person from Kuwait. I am married
to Dr. Harry Jones who worked with Kuwait embassy in Ivory Coast
for nine years before he died in the year 2000.

We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a
brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were
both born again Christians. Since his death I decided not to re-marry
or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against.

When my late husband was alive he deposited the
sum of $8.6 Million (Eight Million six hundred thousand U.S. Dollars)
with one finance/security company in Amsterderm Holland.
Presently, this money is still with the Security Company.

Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next
three months due to cancer problem. Though what disturbs me most is
my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to
donate this fund to church or better still a christian individual
that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here in.
I want a church that will use this fund to fund churches, orphanages
and widows propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God
is maintained.

The Bible made us to understand that Blessed is the hand that giveth.
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit
this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't
want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I
don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly
manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not
afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going
to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord
will fight my case and I shall hold my peace.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my
health and because of the presence of my husband?s relatives around me
always. I don't want them to know about this development. With God all
things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you
the contact of the Finance/Security Company in Amsterderm Holland. I
will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the
original-beneficiary of this fund.

I want you and the church to always pray for me because the lord is my
shephard. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy
Christian. Whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in
spirit and truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life.
Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a church or
christian individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you
will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hearing from you.

N.B-
PLEASE I WILL ADVICE YOU TO GIVE THE LAWYER IN CHARGE A CALL IN HOLLAND
IMMEDIATELY, HE DOES EVERYTHING ON MY BEHALF AND HE IS
VERY UNDERSTANDING AND I BELIEVE HE WILL LEAD YOU TO YOUR SUCCESS IN JESUS
NAME.
THE LAWYER'S NAME IS ADVOCATEN VAN BOSCH, PHONE NUMBER
IS: 0031-620-794-311.
EMAIL: advocatevan@netscape.net.

Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs Serena Jones

The latest fashion in bank scams seems to the the "I want to donate
money to charity but I'm dying and need your help" come-on. In this
scam the author claims to be British. Unfortunately he does not seem
to be a native speaker. He says his "names are Larry Moore" and he
makes many other obvious mistakes in english usage.

In my search for a reliable and God fearing person and having gotten
your contact through prayers and painstaking efforts I have decided
to seek your help in carrying out my last wish.

My names are Larry Moore. I'm a 65 years old man and a British living
in Dubai (United Arab Emirate). I was a merchant and owned two
businesses in Dubai. I was also married with two children. My wife and
two children died in a car accident six years ago. Before this
happened my business and concern for making money was all I lived
for. I never really cared about other values in life. But since the
loss of my family, I have found a new desire to assist helpless
families.

I have been helping orphans in orphanage/motherless homes. I have
also donated some money for humanitarian needs in Sudan, South
Africa, Cameroon, Brazil, Spain, Austria, Germany and some Asian
countries. Only recently I saw on television the colossal loss of
properties and livelihood of people in Canberra, Australia through
fire. I was moved with great pity and compassion that I decided to
make a contribution on assisting people over there.

Before I became ill, I kept $12.5 Million in a long-term deposit
account in a finance company. Presently, I'm in a hospital where I
have been undergoing treatment for oesophageal cancer. I have since
lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a
few months to live. It is my last wish to see this money distributed
to victims of this fire outbreak in Australia and other charity
organizations.

Because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth
since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge
responsibility to any of them. Please, I beg you in the name of God to
help me collect the deposit and the interest accrued from the company
in Canada and distribute it accordingly. Use your judgement to
distribute the money and keep 5% of it to yourself. Feel free to
reimburse yourself when you have the money for any cost you incur
during the process of collecting and distributing the money. If you
are willing to help, please reply as soon as you can through my
private email address:

lar_more@hotmail.com

May the good Lord bless you and your family.

Regards,
Larry Moore

Here's a new twist on the Nigerian Bank Scam: According to this email,
someone in Nigeria has supposedly left me millions of dollars. Note,
however, that this note was not addressed to Mr. Bearcave. This would
not have been possible, since it was sent out in a massive spam to
millions of people.

If a sucker answers this email they will soon find that they have to
put up money to get their bequest released. There are legal fees,
filing fees, on and on. Of course after extracting more and more
money the "bequest" will not show up.

This is sequel to your non-response of our earlier letter to you On
behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of late of Sir
Engr. Willy Bubenik (ksm), I wish to notify you that you were listed
as a beneficiary to the bequest of the sum of US$4,500.000 [Four
Thousand Five Hundered Million US Dollars] in the codicil and last
testament of the deceased. The late Sir Willy Bubenik until his death
was a former Managing Director and pioneer staff of a big construction
company (Julius Berger) here in Nigeria. He was a very dedicated
Christian and a great philanthropist during his lifetime.

Late Sir Willy Bubenik died on 9th February 2002 at the age of 68. He
was buried on the 23rd of February. Late Sir Willy Bubenik even though
he was an American living and working in here as a foreigner he
requested before his death that he be buried here in his words, "I
regard here as My home and the people as my people". He said that this
token is to support your ministry and help to the less- privileged. I
hereby request that you forward any proof of identities of yours, your
current telephone and fax numbers and your forwarding address to
enable us file necessary documents at our high court probate division
for the release of this bequest of money.

The bank scams keep coming. They all repeat the same themes as the
bank scams listed here. So I think that this web page has reached its
limit. Unless I get a bank scam that is really unusual, I'm just
going to delete them.

Of course there are some bank scams that I'd love to see...

Dear Mr. Bearcave:

I was told by a friend in Kabul, Afghanistan that you are a
trustworthy business contact. I could tell you my friend's name, but
then he would have to kill you. To avoid such unpleasantness we will
leave his identity anonymous.

My familiy has been involved in the cultivation of the opium poppy for
generations. My dear departed Father, Salim Sulaman, peace be upon
him, was killed by the Taliban as their evil regime was falling to
American ariel bombardment. My father left $14,500,156.43 in profits
from his opium and heroin refining business. The current warlords
that are ruling Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban have
attempted to sieze these funds. However, my widowed mother managed to
smuggle these profits out under her burka to Pakistan, where the money
is deposited in a local bank. We are trying to transfer these funds
out of the country before they are siezed by the corrupt government of
Pakistan. We wish to transfer these funds to your great country, land
of opportunity, where we wish to invest in various enterprises
suggested to us by our Russian friends. To this end we are willing to
pay you 20% of these funds to compensate you for any minor trouble you
might encounter with your DEA or Treasury Department.

Please wire your bank account number and other information at the
first opportunity.

May Allah guide your hand,

Islam Abu Salim Sulaman

Dear Mr. Bearcave:

My name is Robin Lay. I found your web page while surfing for information
on the wavelet transform and Win Sweldens Wavelet Lifting Scheme. I
am writing you because I know that anyone who would post such cute
pictures of signals and time series is someone who can be trusted.

I am the step daughter of Kenneth Lay, the former chief executive
officer of Enron. As you may know, my beloved step father, a gentle,
kind, Christian and above all, honest man, was forced to flee the
United States and go into hiding by numerous unfair accusations.
Before he fled to Brazil, he moved $150 million (one hundred fifty
million, US) into offshore bank accounts so that those evil Democratic
plaintiff's lawyers could not get their grubby hands on it.

As you might imagine, no one whose last name is Lay or who is
associated with our family can touch this money without being
discovered by rapacious lawyers and agents of the United States
government. We plan to move $20,000,000 (twenty million, US) quietly
back into the United States, where we plan to donate it to homes for
disabled children.

The people that my step father believe were his friends, like George
W. Bush, who my step father helped get appointed president, have
abandoned him. My mother, Linda, and I cannot do this without your
help. We need an honest person, such as yourself, who will allow us
to move these funds through their bank account. In return we will pay
you a 10% commission (that's two million, US on your end).

Please send your bank account information and wire transfer numbers on
company letterhead to the Bahamas post box below. When we receive
this information and all modalities [got to use that word,
modalities] we will proceed with the details of this transaction.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, God bless you for helping our
family in its time of need. I look forward to corresponding with you
soon.